Complicated Questions | Critical Role | Campaign 4, Episode 27 Part 1

Summary

Critical Role Campaign 4, Episode 27 Part 1: “Complicated Questions”

Airs: June 4, 2026
Podcast Summary by Section and Timestamps

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Episode Overview

This episode reunites the heroes of Ahriman in the turbulent city of Dolmakyar, picking up as allies and old friends converge in the aftermath of recent deaths, threats, and political turmoil. As the opening performance at the newly reclaimed Hallowed Round theater draws near, the party must unravel the complex interconnections between sundered houses, arcane blood rituals, stolen artifacts, and the threat of mass destruction – all while navigating family betrayals and personal trauma. The episode is packed with critical reveals, intricate planning, and heartfelt character moments that set the stage for a climactic event.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Return to the Hallowed Round

[02:17–12:17]

• The group arrives at the Hallowed Round, a repurposed amphitheater, and interacts with Olgood Akarat and the theater troupe.
• Discussion about the upcoming play "Kotheri," a tale of rebellion, and the logistics for the performance.
• A search for prop weapons reveals missing Pariah blades – significant family artifacts now used as stage props, sparking concern.

Notable Quotes:

"If I came back from the dead, I'd cancel my meetings the next day." – Olgood (B), [05:08]
"We just wanted to make sure that the master weapons were in tip top shape for tomorrow night." – Tysha (C), [09:49]

2. Tensions and Revelations Among Friends

[12:17–28:07]

• The party regroups at Hal’s home, where characters reconnect and grapple with the loss of Thiazi Fang and the aftereffects of prior adventures.
• Emotional exchanges highlight the personal costs of war and resistance, including trauma and distrust.
• Octis returns, altered by his recent resurrection and the rituals performed on him.

Notable Moments:

• Thimble and Octis’s tense reunion, exploring what it means to be living or dead.

"Did you hurt?" – Thimble (D), [28:44]
"No, but I'm here." – Octis (J), [28:58]

3. Unraveling the Mysteries: Blood, Ritual, and Betrayal

[28:07–55:55]

• Detailed exchange about the celestial-blood paints, the legacy of the Pariah blades, and the secret histories of the Sundered Houses.
• Discovery that the supposedly sacred paints were made from celestial (and possibly orcish) blood and may serve as a catalyst for a mass ritual.
• The party debates whether Thiazi sought to thwart or participate in a plot by the Sundered Houses.

Key Insights:

• The Play and the Ritual: Opening night at the Hallowed Round coincides with a potentially apocalyptic ritual involving the blood-based paints.
• The True Nature of the Paint: Whether created to empower a ritual or sabotage it is hotly debated.
• Mara and the Falcon’s Feather: Connection to falcon Mara and the border between worlds – vital for understanding the ritual’s goal.
• The Threat: The possibility that audience members or the play itself are intended to be consumed by (or the fuel for) the ritual.

Notable Quotes:

"Our faith believes in the liquid light of the universe. It's called filament. But it seems that the liquid light of the universe is actually just drainings of an angel man." – Wick (G), [43:05]
"I think they're trying to open a door right in the middle of Dilmur." – Murray (C), [61:43]
"How do I in good conscience, bring thousands from the city into the hallowed realm? ... We have no concept of what's to fall there tomorrow night." – Hal (F), [66:54]

4. Planning, Paranoia, and Pivotal Choices

[55:55–74:50]

• The threat posed by the Sundered Houses (and their fractured alliances) is dissected; the party methodically lists objectives and uncertainties.
• Discussion about using the assembled mercenary “magpies” as a counterforce during the play.
• Codeword established for allies:
  • "Any good tidings?"
  • Response: "Always for a friend." [92:52]

Notable Quotes:

"Would you risk 5,000 people? ... He would, if he knew he were saving many, many more." – Bolaire (E), [70:06–70:27]
"If anybody sees the shape of a magpie in the sky, that means shit's going down." – Murray (C), [91:29]

5. Dividing Forces and Next Steps

[74:50–108:08]

• The party splits into teams to investigate the source of the blood-pigment, recover petrified allies, negotiate with King Gus, and interrogate contacts about the emerging threats.
• Last-minute anxieties about intent and causality – can the planned ritual be thwarted, or have the pieces already been set on the board?
• Closing: Trailing the living and dead, the episode ends on a somber, suspenseful note as characters prepare for a day that may decide the fate of the city – and beyond.

Notable Quotes:

"Do we have any indication that Thiazi was working with the Sundered Houses? Why do we believe...?" – Thimble (D), [81:00]
"The same object can create something different depending on the intent of the person that is utilizing it." – Azune (H), [84:13]

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Notable Quotes & Moments (with Speaker and Timestamp)

• "If I came back from the dead, I'd cancel my meetings the next day." – Olgood (B), [05:08]
• "You just smell really good to me." – Murray (C) to Octis, [31:02]
• "Is that relevant right now?" – Murray (C), [45:29], on Octis’s bodily functions post-mortem
• "How do I in good conscience, bring thousands from the city into the hallowed realm? ... We have no concept of what's to fall there tomorrow night." – Hal (F), [66:54]
• "If anybody sees the shape of a magpie in the sky, that means shit's going down." – Murray (C), [91:29]
• "Any good tidings?" / "Always for a friend." – (Codeword/Response), [92:52–93:02]
• "The same object can create something different depending on the intent of the person that is utilizing it." – Azune (H), [84:13]
• "Just one night." – Thimble (D), [107:44] (on lingering with Octis and the anxiety of what's to come)

---

Timestamps for Important Segments

• [01:30] – Campaign introduction & recap of the world’s political landscape
• [02:17] – Arriving at the Hallowed Round, the amphitheater and discussion of the play
• [13:42] – Group reconvenes; Crow Keeper threat confirmed ended; Tycha update
• [28:07] – Hal’s home: Emotional reunions; Octis’s state, trauma, and personal reflections
• [32:55] – Pariah blades misused as stage props; dangerous artifact in the open
• [41:23] – Blood paints, celestial blood, and the tangled web of sabotage and ritual
• [61:43] – Realization that a portal to the underworld may open at the theater using the painted murals
• [66:54] – The ethics of risking thousands of lives—should the play proceed?
• [74:50] – Planning phase: objectives and threats; splitting the party for parallel investigations
• [91:29] – Establishing magpie code and mercenary signals for the coming conflict
• [101:41] – Party splitting up: who’s going where, and for what tasks
• [108:34] – End of episode and dramatic lead-in to next session

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Flow and Tone

The episode shifts fluidly between high-concept political intrigue, heart-wrenching personal drama, and lively, zany Critical Role banter. Speakers maintain a balance between seriousness (when confronting the depth of the threat and their own trauma) and lighter moments (costume montages, jokes about lice, playful character interaction).

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Conclusion

Episode 27 Part 1 is a masterclass in collaborative storytelling, with the cast unpacking layers of mystery, generational trauma, and magical consequence through dialogue both raw and intricate. Long-buried secrets and tangled motivations are brought to light as the party races to defuse a disaster that could unleash chaos on all of Dolmakyar – if not the world. The stage is set for the next act, with alliances, weapons, and secrets in play. The mood is tense, hopeful, and charged with the sense that—just maybe—the heroes can change the ending.

---

Next episode (Part 2) airs Tuesday!

Transcript

[A]

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[B]

I second guess everything. Is that noise normal? Is that water damage?

[A]

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[B]

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[C]

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[B]

Why hello there. I'm Brennan Lee Mulligan and welcome to Campaign 4 of Critical Role. Thank you for joining us on this journey as we explore Ahriman, a world of fractured kingdoms, tumultuous rebellion and sorcery that rises from the graveyard of the gods. You're listening to Part one of this adventure, with Part two arriving this upcoming Tuesday. Our episodes typically arrive on the Critical Role Podcast network a week after our initial Thursday night streams on Beacon, YouTube and Twitch. But if you'd rather listen to a full podcast episode of Campaign 4 Right When it airs without any ads, consider becoming a Beacon member. You'll receive access to exclusive content discounts at all our online Critical Role shops, pre sales for live events and so much more.

[D]

Free.

[B]

Start your 7 day free trial today at Beacon TV. Now, without further ado, let's begin this episode of Critical Role. On your way from the Archenod to the Hallowed Round. Our group of soldiers having returned here from Timony and having dropped off CID at the Archenaude, now travel with Bolaire Lothalia and Murray Magnessen down to the Hallowed Round for a brief detour prior to heading to the home of one Halland Hill Fang, where a Week and a half ago, you guys mourned the death of Thiazi Fang. You look out and see the approaching Hallowbrand and all. You see a beautiful amphitheater, long, almost coliseum esque. Basically benches of stone in this ancient amphitheater down to box seats that will have painted murals of wooden fences that have these beautiful vibrant living murals of orcish heroes from the past and the history of Dolmakyar. And down at the very, very front of the stage, you see sort of in that central mural, the mural of the opening play which is going to be Kotheri. And you see Vokjan Murzat, this historic who led a rebellion against Osgor the Conqueror some hundred years before the Shapers War that failed. If only he had known that 100 years later his dream would be realized. During the Shapers War, you see the stage and the lone tree in the center marking the sacred space that has been taken by Hal and repurposed to tell a brand new story. For a thousand thousand years, this place would have only been used to propitiate and worship Oscar, the God of war and strife. And now it can be used to tell whatever story mortals deem worth telling. You look down and see on the stage there, as you sort of park your wagon, you see a bunch of actresses. The day before the play, they're getting ready for a big dress rehearsal later this afternoon. Evening, people are coming back from lunch and you see someone you guys would all recognize from the funeral, which is. Is Hal's business partner, Olgood Akarat, who is on stage busying himself. He's got a big sort of like washtub and a washboard and just washing stuff. And he's calling out to people and going like, all right, everyone should be back from lunch already. We gotta. Oh, hey there, Professor. Master Lothalia. Welcome back.

[C]

Hi, Allgood.

[B]

Hey there.

[C]

We just need to pick up a quick crate and take it over to Hal's. Just a quick errand.

[B]

Oh, sure. And he's coming back for dress rehearsal. He's got to go do that thing at the. Is he speaking to the photoarch today?

[E]

There's several appointments that actually have to be dealt with. Yes.

[B]

I can't believe it's about. I'm just gonna say this. If I came back from the dead, I'd cancel my meetings the next day. I'd cancel them.

[F]

All right.

[B]

Well, welcome.

[C]

Hey,

[G]

master.

[B]

Now, have you guys come out of the wagon? And these are all Hal's troupe. You got your hood up?

[G]

Put my hood up.

[B]

Anyone who Wants to stay on the cart.

[G]

Can.

[B]

If you want to stay hidden, you can stay hidden. So instead, Olga just sort of looks out and says, great, help yourself back there. No problem here.

[G]

Can you tell me just a little bit about the show?

[B]

Is it a comedy?

[G]

Sure.

[B]

Is it a drama? Is it a drama? Give me. Give me stealth.

[D]

Ouches.

[F]

That's a.

[G]

Is that a 20?

[C]

That's a. I don't know what that is.

[G]

I think it's a 20.

[B]

Nat 20.

[G]

Yeah.

[B]

He goes, well, Nat. Stranger. The show was called Clithera, and it's a. Which translates to the Heretics or the Renegades. It's a story of rebellion, revolution, of people that took a seat.

[H]

Say, fight scene.

[G]

Is there a fight scene?

[B]

Choreography's gonna knock you on your ass, friend. It's gonna knock you straight on your ass.

[F]

All right.

[B]

We sold out. I sold out two days ago.

[G]

And just in case we're not here for the whole thing, when does the fight happen?

[H]

Is it a second act thing?

[G]

A first act thing? I just want to make sure I can see it.

[B]

Well, it depends. You assume there's only one fight in this damn thing. I feel one coming on right now. You see, looking backstage, going back for your crate. You guys do not see the Pariah blades backstage?

[C]

Great. Can I go look over at the weapons racks? Look and see if they got mixed in with the foils?

[B]

The weapons racks are cleared. You don't see any of the weapons out right now.

[H]

Do you want us to deal with

[B]

this or should I?

[C]

I'll help you. Yeah, let's wait a minute.

[B]

I think you see some wooden swords, some simple poles, but you don't see any stage foils. All good.

[I]

All good.

[E]

Okay, Just deep breath.

[B]

Tyranny Wick.

[E]

Costumes abound. Please take your pick.

[G]

It's Nick.

[E]

We're gonna go upstairs. I think they're using them for all good.

[C]

Where are the weapons being used? Like the master props?

[B]

They're out with the barking crews right now. All right.

[C]

We're the barking crews right now.

[B]

Barking throughout the city of Dolmach Yar. Trying to get these goggles out to everybody.

[D]

Yeah, we saw them.

[C]

Where'd you see them?

[B]

On the way.

[G]

Yeah. Okay.

[D]

Right in front of the Candescent Creed, actually.

[G]

Okay.

[B]

By the way, if you guys are coming to get stuff, I think Hal has some stuff in a side closet. There's like a dummy corpse back there and a big ax that looks like a set decorating or scene decorating or something like that.

[C]

Is there a box still back there that says Wigs with lice.

[B]

You look down and see on old good's washing board are a bunch of wigs. He goes, I popped that bad boy open. I don't know why we have wigs with lice here at the theater. I've been washing these wigs during my lunch break.

[E]

Three inches of dust on every bloody thing in every prop closet.

[D]

What about the box that was in with the wigs with lice?

[C]

There was a box in the wig. In the box with the wigs.

[B]

I assumed that those were extra lice ridden, so I got to those first, but there was nothing in there.

[D]

Nothing in it.

[G]

Is there a wig that's already been dried and cleaned that I could.

[B]

It's not that dry, but he hands you a soaking wet, long, curling blonde wig.

[G]

I love it.

[H]

Where would the box have gone?

[B]

You know, he walks back with you and you guys see the coffin of Olbalad resting on a small card table with a deck of cards and what looks like some fake wood coins.

[C]

I said this was gonna kill some improv troupe.

[E]

I said, no one cares what happens to a fucking improv troupe.

[B]

As I said before. Is that the important.

[C]

Let's get the box. Hey, Nick, can you all. Nick.

[G]

Oh, Nick. Oh, sorry.

[B]

Nick.

[D]

Nick, can you grab that box, don't open it and take it back to the cart.

[H]

Yes, of course, ma'.

[G]

Am.

[C]

Maybe have Kadigan help you.

[B]

There's a wooden trait.

[G]

Hold it.

[B]

Place it in the wooden crate. You're going to place it in the wooden crate?

[C]

I have just a bunch of costumes, petticoats, wigs. Just options for us.

[J]

I don't care if he dies.

[I]

All good?

[B]

Yeah.

[C]

We just wanted to make sure that the master weapons were in tip top shape for tomorrow night. Do you think that maybe you could gather those when the working crew gets back? Maybe drop them off at Hal's for us? Yeah.

[B]

When Shania gets. Do you want. He wants to take a look at the stage weapons. The stage foils.

[C]

Yeah, the prop ones. The big ones that go clang, clang when you fight.

[B]

Yeah, there's about four of them that are.

[C]

Yes, there are. Yeah, about four.

[E]

I think there was one that accidentally got damaged. Do you know where that went?

[B]

Oh, some of the damaged ones, yes. Yeah, sure, sure, sure. You see, he takes you backstage and they are still painted. But the pariah blades that were broken, those are available.

[E]

I am definitely going to be taking them and wrapping them for the crate. Yes. Sadly, they are on loan from the museum and they are a little more delicate than we Thought they're very old. They just need to be properly reinforced.

[B]

He looks at this extremely glossy, repainted pariah blade shard and says, this from the museum. This thing cost five copper pieces.

[E]

You know, they don't necessarily look their best when they haven't been cleaned and properly dealt with. We do a lot of restoration work, and those are actually much more expensive.

[B]

Good. Well, I'll tell you what. I'll get Shadia to bring the ones that she's got out on the Barking crew back later tonight. All right?

[C]

All right. Yeah, bring them by, Hal.

[B]

Full speed.

[K]

Thank you.

[C]

Thank you so much.

[B]

You got it. And by the way, show's tomorrow night. I've been sending letters out. I've been sending letters to Pentavo. I've been sending the museum. Who wants cops? Who's coming?

[C]

Can we just have a whole front row? Front row, front, you know, or if there's a little VIP section.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

You know, you want to know where the best seat in the house is. We got privacy right up here. And he points to a very nice box that is all the way to the side. Way, way out. Like, clearly not a breadwinner box seat. It's one where you'd be like, what's going on on stage? He's like, you can have that whole section.

[C]

I can pass the 180, but that's okay. We'll take it.

[B]

Yeah. All right.

[I]

Okay.

[E]

We can put other people in the private box if we don't want to be around them.

[B]

Great. So I'll get. But. But so. So we won't worry about comps. We'll just give you that. That private box.

[J]

Perfection.

[B]

Great. Perfect. All right, well, let Hal know that we'll. We'll be waiting on him to come by and. And get. Get dressed started. But the show's gonna be. It's gonna be a humdinger, huh?

[C]

I can't wait.

[B]

All right.

[E]

I'm looking forward to it.

[D]

All good.

[C]

All right, let's go.

[B]

What the hell? You're back.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Good to see you. Hey there. Are you the. I had heard word that someone said that your name got put on the gibbet, that the Crow keepers are looking for you or something like that.

[D]

Yeah, yeah. So don't tell anyone.

[B]

I won't tell anyone. In your back.

[D]

All right.

[B]

All right, great.

[D]

But I will be here to see the show.

[B]

Oh, that's what I like to hear.

[D]

You guys put in some fadeurs and stuff, right? There's balconies.

[B]

He looks out and says, we how

[D]

said you Were going to put up.

[B]

We have fairy doors facing the woods. The legal restrictions on what we're allowed to do with the space, given the lease that we got from the Chamber of Lords Advisory, my understanding is that House Hailuvar raised some complaints about any overt religious symbols being placed on a public facing area.

[D]

Okay.

[B]

But I have a fairy door that I got from my mother before she passed, and that's gonna be hanging in the back outside my office. And we're gonna have another big one that we're making from fresh leaves and vines from the Tintasi. And that's gonna be all on backstage. So anyone that wants. And I'm gonna leave out a big saucer of milk and there's gonna be fresh bread.

[H]

There's.

[D]

Thanks. Okay.

[B]

He smiles and nods.

[E]

I'm sorry, dear.

[J]

I really did try my best. No, I believe I'm very sorry.

[C]

Are we ready to go? Yeah. All right, let's go. As we're walking out back to the carriage, and as soon as we get into a comfortable position where we're not being overheard, Code keepers are pretty much all dismantled. By the way, I think you're good.

[J]

What? Yeah.

[C]

You guys kind of like killed the Crow Keeper leader and then we kind of had to run in with them and then we killed their like, runner

[L]

up and I think they're pretty much.

[D]

We killed the runner up? Did you kill another runner up or did you kill the leader?

[C]

I don't know.

[E]

I think we more or less swept away. Whatever.

[C]

They're fractured into a point where it will take a long time to get them to get them functioning again.

[D]

That's great. Kasimir had a few of them and

[C]

we took them out too. Oh, really?

[D]

Yeah.

[B]

As you confirm that indeed. Split between Zagi and her Crow Keepers in Laoami's chambers underneath the city. Those that were with Kasimir and those that were defeated at the guard tower in Caravan Hill, that that threat against Thimble specifically seems to have evaporated from Dul Machiar.

[C]

Turns out they were the ones that knocked over that caravan handling a bunch of the runic blanks. Oh, so we found a big old

[D]

pile of runic blanks.

[C]

Rune cookies.

[B]

Olgood calls out to you as you guys ascend the stairs again, headed for your carriage, and says, by the way, that I know you don't want any comps. Is that seat. I know she just got back today. Is Tycha gonna be in there with you?

[D]

She's back.

[B]

Yeah, she came back in with a couple friends. I didn't recognize her.

[D]

I fly up right in his face.

[B]

Yeah.

[D]

Was Octis with her? Was there a tall, nerdy.

[B]

Oh, I know Octys. He's the kid that studies with Taisha, right? Yeah, he was with her. He just went on that trip with her to Venatus. Right. I think. Yeah, he's tagging around. He didn't look good, I'll tell you that.

[D]

Do you know where they went?

[B]

I think Hal took him home. He took in touch with him.

[A]

Come in.

[C]

I just fly to the carriage.

[D]

Come on. All right, all right.

[C]

Yeah, I was walking that way.

[B]

The carriage takes off to the home of Hal and Dielfang, where we will begin tonight's episode of Critical Role. Yay.

[A]

Hello, friends, and welcome back to the Critical Role Announcement Playhouse. Thank you for joining us. We're gonna get through some announcements this evening before we return to tonight's game. Hey, Travis, you wanna take this one?

[G]

I just realized all these bits are just ways for us to flirt with Sam. Just trying to get in danger close.

[A]

Who writes them?

[B]

Most diabolical on camera hookup ever, you guys. The Legend of VOX Machina Season 4 premieres next Wednesday, June 3rd.

[G]

Video.

[B]

You guys, thank you so much for your support of this series. We are so excited for you all to finally see everything that we've cooked

[G]

up for you this season.

[B]

We've got Wayne Brady coming in, Terry and Darrington, and definitely nothing that happens in the later part of the campaign with no ramifications.

[H]

It is epic, it is dark.

[G]

It will have repercussions that are felt around Exandria for years and possibly decades to come.

[B]

Unbelievable. You definitely don't want to miss the early episode. So be there on June 3rd. Woohoo.

[A]

Fantastic. Thank you, Travis. And no, seriously, watch it.

[B]

It's really cool.

[A]

Marisha, you're up.

[C]

It's hard to follow that one. But if you weren't able to join us in Atlanta for our Bells Hills live show, you'll be able to watch Maelstrom Kingdom tomorrow, May 29, in all of its chaotic glory.

[G]

Man, what a great show.

[C]

What a great show. Man, that crowd was rowdy and they

[B]

just like

[G]

the thing that Taliesin said.

[B]

That was so perfect. Who knew? I was inspired.

[C]

It was great. It was great. So can't miss it. And you can start a seven day free trial and watch it right away or wait for it to drop on YouTube later in June. Or you should just get a free trial and watch it on Beacon. Just watch it on the beaks.

[A]

It's a good show. A lot more nudity than I was expecting. I prepped for what I could. That concludes our announcements.

[C]

So with that, let's go ahead and

[A]

jump back into Araman.

[L]

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[C]

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[L]

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[B]

So many people said stuff. Welcome to tonight's episode of Critical Role, a very special episode, may I say, Holy smokes, there's a lot of people at this table. God, I'm about to get my ass kicked.

[G]

There's like a one second delay between when Travis talks and I hear it.

[B]

Last. We left off. A whole series of adventures had happened. Our tables had converged, and we are now here approaching the home of Hallendilfang. Normally, this would be where I, as your Dungeon Master, would recap events of the previous episodes, or indeed arcs. And yet, given the events that are soon to unfold, I think it far more likely that others will be telling these storied tales. So without any further ado, we return to Dolmakyar, the Rookery, the home of hall and magpies Take to the sky. The last time all of these heroes of Ahriman were here was to bid farewell to Thiazi Fang, who now lies interred on the mountainside above the rookery. Approaching this place, birds take flight. Gray clouds rumble ominously in the distance. And Hal approaches, along with Tycha, Octis, Valis, and Ser Julian Davinos. Ajune, you conclude your meeting with Lord Einfassen at the Arkanade?

[E]

Yes.

[B]

Telling him, I believe that you will be meeting with him.

[H]

If I cannot tonight, I will send Word, and we will do it first thing tomorrow morning.

[B]

He acknowledges that and says he will be waiting. You head to that home as well. And Hal and our seekers, you discover Lieutenant Azune Nayyar waiting for you at the home. As you enter this space as well. You see, Azunae, you've sort of entered and are having a little cup of tea poured by one Misha. Undergore the dramatis arcane, this older orcish man who is under house arrest here, who enters this space. She looks up and says, oh, hell. Welcome, welcome. Oh, Taisha.

[C]

Hello.

[I]

Hi.

[B]

Good to see you. Everyone, come on. I was making tea for Lieutenant Nayar, but I'll make some more.

[F]

I think start brewing a lot. Oh, we're gonna have a group.

[B]

All right.

[F]

You were feeling lonely. That's gonna change.

[B]

Oh, we'll have some. Oh, guests. Oh, Shadia coming back.

[F]

Shadia's out and about in the city drumming up support for the show.

[B]

All right, I'll put on a kettle.

[H]

I don't know if you are aware of who else is in town, but. Oh, yes, of course, we're all coming. Not sure if you knew. I'm kind of sorry. I'm not. My head's not on straight right now. Tysha, you okay? Yeah. It's good to see you.

[I]

Come here.

[B]

Give you a big hug.

[H]

I melt into your arms.

[J]

What?

[I]

You've been here the whole time? Yeah.

[H]

Yeah.

[I]

And you seem stressed.

[H]

I. I am.

[I]

Okay.

[C]

Okay.

[I]

I feel like we went and dealt with undead people and everyone at home is somehow worse off.

[C]

Weird.

[H]

We'll get to it.

[J]

Octus dispels his. Now that he's inside, his disguised self turns back into himself.

[B]

Azune, you see, coming in the door after you is Verin Cadorn, who nods to everybody here and says, pleasure. I'm a friend of Azune's. Is it all right for me to be here?

[H]

Yes, of course. Come on in, have some tea. We'll have some proper introductions when everybody else arrives.

[C]

Sure.

[A]

Azune, is this a safe space?

[H]

Yes, it is.

[A]

Ser Julian puts his hood back and throws the cloak off to the side.

[B]

As you guys settle in Hal and Azune, before too much longer, you hear the creaking of a wagon outside side and entering into the home. Murray and Bolaire, along with our soldiers, and I believe, Thimble, for the first time since you fled Dolmakyar, you fly in.

[D]

Fly in. Looking around.

[J]

Here, I hear you see that he is a little paler and gaunter, and his eyes are a little bright. Definitely looks a little dead.

[D]

I Fly about a foot away from you. Are you still you?

[J]

To the best of my knowledge, yeah, still me.

[D]

Did you hurt?

[J]

You did. Are you okay?

[D]

Are you?

[J]

No, but I'm here.

[D]

We can talk more.

[J]

Yeah? Yeah.

[D]

I'll go to land on your shoulder and hover like an inch above. And then knot and fly a little bit away from you.

[J]

Yeah. I snap my fingers and pin on the other.

[C]

Did you write your term paper?

[J]

No, I fucking didn't. It's good to see you.

[D]

It's all right.

[J]

I have a. Things we gotta talk about.

[C]

Yes, we do.

[B]

Tyranny. As you enter the space, all of you watch the little cold iron nail in the doorway turn bright red hot for a moment.

[C]

We've been having a montage.

[B]

Wick and Tyranny.

[G]

I don't know.

[C]

You don't know what you're wearing?

[G]

Have we already had our montage?

[B]

Yeah, we've had it. You got a big armful of costumes from the hallowed round. And you had a long wagon ride

[C]

trying stuff on in the wagon.

[G]

I've got a long wet blonde wig on. Poofy shirt.

[C]

Big, big, big poofy shirt. Really tight pants. And the shoes that sort of curl up. And there's little bells on the end. And then over on top of the wig, we have some rouge on him, A little lip. And a dragon hat like that has been used. We're in disguise.

[G]

Hello.

[B]

Hi.

[C]

Hi.

[D]

We're in dis.

[C]

We're.

[I]

I mean, he's.

[C]

I'm gonna do mine later. I'm gonna walk over to this one and. Sorry.

[J]

What the fuck are you doing?

[D]

Stay away from him. Sorry. Can you. Can you open your mouth really quick?

[C]

I'm just getting in there.

[D]

This guy's dead.

[I]

Oh, wild.

[J]

Correct.

[C]

So.

[I]

I'm sorry.

[C]

You just smell really good to me.

[D]

Stay. Can I eat it away from him?

[J]

If you eat me, I will tear myself from your insides out again.

[B]

Cool.

[C]

Okay, we'll talk about it later.

[F]

Young master Haylabar.

[G]

You could recognize me? Yes, it is me. You're so good. You saw right through it. Hal, it's so lovely to see you again.

[F]

Have your ears been burning?

[G]

Everything's been burning.

[F]

You are quite the sought after gentleman

[B]

in town and out of town.

[I]

Your sisters gave you too much credit.

[H]

Yeah.

[J]

What were you doing? They thought Vaelys and I were. You and Wick.

[C]

You guys met my sisters?

[F]

Oh, yes, we do.

[C]

God, I hate them. They suck, right?

[B]

They suck so much.

[D]

She's disguising herself as you.

[J]

Incredibly incompetent.

[C]

Yeah, yeah, that's right.

[D]

Okay.

[C]

They were looking for us.

[J]

Yes, they thought.

[G]

Did they give you trouble? Well, listen, I'm so sorry about everything. I know that.

[C]

Why are you wet?

[G]

Just my hair. The gentleman who gave me the wig. It'll dry soon. It'll look better.

[C]

That wig had lice on it.

[E]

It may still have lice on it.

[G]

Oh, God.

[I]

You took it out the box with the wigs. With license.

[D]

A lot of things got taken out of the box with rice.

[C]

On that note, I'm going to have Kat again help Murray as we plop the casket of.

[J]

You may want to ignore the body that's in there.

[C]

It's got to be washed. Hal, we do have a little bit of a problem. Shadia and many of your other theater troupes members are swinging around the Liar's blades in public court. And Barkin. Sorry, there's blades?

[I]

The what?

[D]

The. The pariah blades.

[C]

No, I heard your. Your family heirlooms are definitely being used as prop weapons for.

[I]

We were gone tonight for nine days.

[C]

I promise you this is a better alternative.

[A]

Right.

[F]

But only at the round.

[C]

Nope.

[H]

Well.

[I]

Nope.

[D]

Oh, no. All around the city. Hal. Hi, Hal.

[F]

Hey, tough stuff. You all right?

[D]

No.

[F]

Okay.

[C]

Yes. I told Olgood to gather them up and drop them off here later on, by the way. So it's handled.

[B]

Okay.

[F]

Father daughter talk.

[G]

Did everyone survive?

[J]

Complicated.

[C]

Oof.

[H]

Not hell so far.

[G]

Well, I don't see some of the. Some people aren't here. No. Is everyone here?

[B]

I'd like a perception check from Julian. Be so kind.

[A]

Natural 20.

[B]

Natural 20. You gotta stop opening eyes, Julian. You look across. You look across and see Calen Royce's bracers on Teor's arm.

[A]

I do not mean to intrude, but I'm curious as to how you procured such specific armaments. I am. Theore.

[D]

First thing he said in two episodes.

[F]

Did he have an episode?

[A]

I know your face. Yes. We took them off of our vanquished foes. You vanquished Royce?

[B]

You're gonna want to keep talking.

[G]

No, no, no. He was already dead. We just found his bracers on someone else.

[J]

Right.

[D]

Well, no, it doesn't mean he was dead. It was just.

[C]

You should have just stuck with he's dead. Yeah.

[A]

Who did you take them from?

[D]

From his. From. I remember. Oh, from. From. He was a shithead. It was Saremai. He was working with the Draconis. Sorry.

[J]

That's fine.

[I]

No, I've been doing that to him

[B]

for the last nine days.

[J]

It is one of my. It's my vassal house.

[D]

He Was carrying. He was using them to carry his brother, by the way. Turned into a statue. So don't get too pissed.

[H]

There is somebody missing. Lady Aranessa.

[D]

She's missing.

[H]

She left with Tycha and Julian. And she's not missing.

[E]

She did.

[A]

But we sent her to the Golden Orchard before it was attacked by House Taconis.

[D]

So that was true.

[J]

Yeah.

[B]

Yeah.

[C]

It already happened.

[B]

Yeah. Yes.

[H]

There's a lot to catch up on.

[D]

Is the orchard gone?

[A]

The orchard still stands, however.

[B]

Sorry. Actually, I believe the orchard has fallen.

[A]

Entirely.

[B]

Entirely. When you talked to your mother, what she had said was that the orchard had fully. That the people were not mass slaughtered there, but that it was unstable and that the orchard. Gotcha.

[H]

Was that.

[A]

Yeah.

[C]

I had a vision of a giant angel of death wiping out the entire orchard in a single fell swoop.

[J]

So we have information that we're gonna have to. It seems that we all have some stuff we have to talk about.

[B]

Yes.

[I]

Michelle, you got that tea? We're all gonna need it.

[B]

I'll get tea for everybody. Do you have a bigger kettle? That's fine. You know what?

[C]

Can you bring the yardgrass too?

[B]

Oh, no.

[G]

I'm gonna help you out.

[F]

I'll tootle off into the kitchen.

[B]

And I have.

[J]

I hate that that's one of the last things I tasted.

[D]

Emble.

[C]

Are you okay? This world's Malort. Um.

[J]

No, it's. It's. Yeah. A lot has happened.

[D]

Are all of our families being destroyed

[E]

or being the ones doing the destroying?

[G]

Yeah, that's. That's my family. I'm so sorry.

[J]

Mine too. Don't get too caught up.

[G]

Are they working together?

[H]

Yes, to an extent.

[J]

To an extent.

[G]

But they always hated you.

[J]

Just join the club. I think it's. They're working together on paper and then they both have their own ulterior motives.

[C]

I believe he's correct.

[H]

Especially your family.

[C]

Are you all right, Thimble? I'm so sorry.

[D]

No, it. It's just everybody. It's Everybody. It's.

[F]

I return from the kitchen and I place a literal thimble with some yargrass in it.

[D]

All this stuff. Slox. Thank you.

[F]

Did you. Did you catch your prey?

[D]

Gas fucking paid.

[C]

Do you feel better about it?

[D]

There's more that have to pay now.

[H]

Yes.

[C]

Things have been real bad here, y'.

[D]

All.

[H]

And we're running out of time.

[J]

We're in better out where we were.

[C]

We've been doing our best to hold the line and build infrastructure where we can under as much secrecy as we can. But we are Seeing the fruits of a plan that have been seeds that have been sowed a long time ago

[F]

and picking up their pace.

[H]

And it seems like everything's coming together tomorrow for them. So we have so little time to do whatever it is that we must do to stop them. And I think that we all must have different pieces of the puzzle. And this is where we put our heads together and figure out what we actually need to do with the. That we have.

[C]

Right.

[D]

It's happening at your theater.

[H]

Yes, that's what we think.

[I]

What?

[C]

Tomorrow night is the opening night of Kothieri. What we have learned is that. Well, it's still to be determined how much Thiazi was really in cahoots with either the sundered houses or trying to thwart them.

[D]

But he was trying to thwart them.

[C]

I hope that's correct.

[D]

He wasn't in league with the sundered houses. He fought against the sundered houses.

[E]

Things have gotten very complicated. And you knew he was a very complicated man.

[D]

A good man. A complicated good man.

[E]

Just because he pretended to tell you the truth while you watched him lie to everybody else doesn't mean he wasn't lying to you, too.

[I]

I'll remind you, you are still in his brother's house. So maybe let's watch the way we fucking talk.

[A]

Your family's been very fractured as of late. Maybe it's always been that way.

[J]

Maybe this isn't the point we're supposed to be.

[C]

I agree. Can we calm down, please? Cooler heads.

[H]

Already done. And now we have to pick up the pieces and move on together.

[F]

Regardless what you think of my brother, he did leave behind a lot of unanswered questions. So maybe we can start to sift through those pieces and figure some things out.

[D]

Out?

[C]

It appears that some sort of massive ritual is taking place tomorrow night at the hallowed round. What we know is that the paints that Thiazi wanted delivered from Hal. Or, Sorry, to Baler.

[D]

Fuck.

[H]

From Bair.

[C]

From Baler to Hal. There's a lot of proper nouns around we don't see. We haven't slipped. Is that Thiazi commissioned those. And through our investigating, we know that those paints were rendered from celestial blood and seem to be some sort of catalyst for whatever ritual. The Taconis and Haylovar.

[B]

I mean, all of them, I think all of them.

[C]

All of the sundered houses have some sort of finger on the scale here. And it seems. Seems that we have inadvertently created a perfect space for them.

[D]

Do they know that it's all happening at the theater?

[C]

I think so.

[H]

The sundered houses.

[D]

But if Thaz stole the paint.

[C]

He didn't steal it. He commissioned it.

[D]

If he commissioned the paint, how would they know that it was going to be at the theater?

[G]

And it's been used to paint the walls of the theater. Is that right?

[H]

Yeah.

[B]

Why?

[G]

Who. Who painted? Why paint?

[B]

He gave the.

[F]

My daughter painted murals before we understood what we were in possession of.

[C]

The paints have a very faint, illusory disguise on top of them to stop the un.

[J]

Yeah.

[C]

Yeah. To the untrained eye, it looks like maybe some the perfect paint for a theater. That maybe has some nice little shimmer effects, perfect for enhancing a scene or a moment. But that was just a guise to hide its deeper meaning. And we know that the paint was created at a place called the Knife and Palette pigment, which very much seems to be connected to the hail of our family. His blood is the paint.

[G]

Yeah, it's not my blood. It's not my blood. It's just the photoch. My grandmother's has a monster angel chained up in our house. Is that a metaphor? Giant celestial monster angel. And they've been draining his blood and pumping it into me and some of

[F]

my family in the city.

[G]

Yes, but we've been moving it all around. Our faith believes in the liquid light of the universe. It's called filament. But it seems that the liquid light of the universe is actually just the drainings of an angel man. And they've been keeping him alive, tortured, for some decades now. And it seems that that blood is now in your paint. Hal, I'm so sorry. And also in. In me. And who knows what else it's being used for, but it's quite magical and quite dangerous.

[D]

Hi. Sorry. You said Thiazi gave the pains to your daughter?

[C]

No, Thiazi's. One of Thiazi's dying wish was to have Baleare. It was in Belair's possession and to have Balare deliver it to Hal. And then Hal gave it to his

[E]

daughter, which would definitely implicate me if anything went wrong.

[F]

We stored them at the round, and they're.

[C]

They're very pretty.

[J]

That does offer a little bit of maybe clarity as to what my family was trying to do. And then seeing as you have a Celestial, maybe they wanted one of their own.

[B]

Yeah.

[C]

Oh, my God.

[G]

They make power with their blood. And if you had one, you could make.

[J]

That's why they killed me. They were trying to turn me into one.

[G]

Your family killed you?

[J]

Yes.

[C]

I saw your face. I saw your Face Octus in my vision.

[J]

Yeah.

[C]

I think they intended for you to be some sort of proxy for this undead Celestial.

[J]

They intended for. They used my murder at House Stavinos. They used a way to proxy do a ritual from Tanasar to kill me there. To turn me into a Celestial. So I think part of covering their tracks and making. Accomplishing two things. One, making a Celestial. Two, obfuscating them. Killing Royce.

[G]

Do you still sleep and poop and stuff?

[J]

No.

[C]

Is that relevant right now?

[G]

Well, I'm just curious. I've never met a dead man before.

[B]

No, it's.

[J]

Take a wet wig off your head. I don't sleep anymore. I don't eat anymore. But I can still think. And I'm here to help.

[C]

We met your family too. In fact, they said I did a really great impression of you, by the way. And they said that if I was really you, you'd be dead already. So we figured.

[J]

So they were correct.

[E]

They were.

[C]

Yeah. They think you're dead.

[J]

I am.

[C]

You know what I mean, right?

[H]

Do they think you're off the table?

[J]

It's possible.

[C]

You're a loose end. And you're a loose end. And you're a loose end. And you're a loose end. There's a lot of people that have been looking for you all.

[H]

Yes.

[F]

Candor. How long have you known that there's a monster in your basement?

[G]

Just a few. Just a few hours before I left town.

[F]

I've always known him to be a nonce and a ninny.

[H]

Is he confused?

[B]

Give me insight versus persuasion or deception. And I'd also like history or insight from Tysha.

[D]

Thanks.

[F]

It's just like an 8. I don't think I can see through the wet wig.

[B]

Eight. Eight. Oh, eight.

[C]

Great rollies.

[B]

No, I think. I think meets. It beats it. So, Hal, you're looking. You're looking at Wakander. Sad streams of anti lice soap trickle down the side of his face. You look at a man who didn't. You look at a man who was able to answer all of his questions with faith, which provided something better than. I mean, faith isn't an answer. It's something that you do that gives you that purpose and direction and a feeling of connection and oneness. And he doesn't have that. Which means that he can't look for answers because he didn't even get practice asking questions. So he just knows there's. Yeah. I think you just see a lice soap covered man who is saying things to the best of his ability.

[H]

Okay.

[B]

Okay.

[F]

And I am thinking about his absolute viper of a grandmother and wondering where he came from.

[G]

Hal, I feel like this is all my fault. Like if I had known earlier or found out sooner, maybe I could have stopped Thyazi's death or told you all and you could have been smart enough to figure out a way to get out of it.

[D]

I'm feeling like that it is your fault. It's all your fault.

[C]

Hey. Whoa.

[J]

Taisha 14.

[B]

14 Taisha. You've heard. It's not your fault. Some information that is ringing false to you as information has been shared. There has been something stated about. Fazi commissioned this paint and there was Celestial blood. And then Wick took credit for Celestial blood. Maybe Thiazi got in the basement of. You wouldn't put a basement. Get in the basement of Be Aurora and steal some blood. That's not the thing that you're thinking about right now. Because that's an open possibility. What is not an open possibility? What is definitive is that there were sweet and smoky Dol mach yar treats by the side of a profane artifact of Osgra at the bottom of Tanasar. You saw Thiazi's favorite street food and a falcon's feather by a well of blood. And that was not celestial blood.

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Yes. Now back to our breathing.

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[D]

Wow.

[I]

Did it. Sorry, I. I'm punching above my weight with Kate. Blink. You have to blink. Does it have to be Blink?

[J]

Sometimes I forget.

[I]

Does it have to be Celestial Blood?

[C]

When I. When I looked into the fabric of what made these paints, the signature that it actually reminded me in the morning most of was the Song of Nightstone. Stone of Night. Stone of Nightsong. Geez Louise, you guys.

[I]

So could it just be Celestial adjacent and not from one?

[D]

So he wasn't working with the Haylovars we found.

[G]

Wait, this isn't my fault.

[J]

Wait, no.

[C]

Well, whoever was, the Havar seemed to be the most practiced at rendering blood from other things. So it was like it had a similar. On the same plane, on the same registry of the Stone of Nightsong, but almost like a photo negative of it. Almost like it was on the opposite end of the spectrum, but on the same line. Does that make sense?

[I]

No, but I'm following.

[J]

The Stone of Night Song is made of chalcidium, which is the bones of Celestials. It is part of what was used in the ritual to make, or try to make me.

[D]

So what's the opposite of that?

[J]

So it's possible that the blood we found.

[I]

There's a big well, endless well of orc blood dedicated to Oscra in Tanazar. And we found those little nuts that the Ozzy eats all the time. We found those. And a falcon's wing feather. Well, pin feather.

[J]

There is a possibility, you know, it's just a hypothesis that Thiazi used that paint in. If he did know what was happening or what was going on, that he commissioned the paint to be made to.

[C]

From blood that he got there and

[J]

took to then to thwart possibly what is happening at the theater.

[D]

How old was the. How old were the treats? How recent were the treats?

[C]

So he commissioned these paints roughly five or six weeks. Weeks ago. We talked to the people who made the M4s for it and looked at their books and could tell when the commission was made.

[D]

Before. Before we fought the Night of. Saramai. Sarami. Saramai.

[B]

Sarabi.

[C]

Sarabi.

[D]

Before we fought them.

[B]

Lion. Yeah, sorry.

[D]

They said. They said that Thaz saw a falcon in the sky, right?

[I]

Mara.

[J]

Mara.

[D]

Mara. Mara was. Mara knows about the anchors?

[I]

Yes. Probably she was working with Mara. The wing is a druid that is sort of stuck as a falcon right now.

[H]

Might Someone describe Mara as a companion? A falcon companion of the Ozzy.

[C]

Oh, they say it was Mara. But they said he had a falcon companion.

[D]

So Mara was there the day that he died.

[F]

In my brother's last moments. He looked out above the crowd, over the city, over my head. And his final words were. He could still hear the falcon's crying.

[D]

And you just saw a falcon feather and treats that he liked?

[I]

Yeah, yeah, we've been there.

[F]

Yeah.

[J]

There was a prototype of what they were gonna do to me there. Oh, and I pull out of my bag, my cousin's head. And I just put it down.

[B]

Misha goes, I'll get more tea.

[J]

Bring the rest of the Yargraph. This was my cousin Tertia. They did the same ritual they were doing to me on her. And turned her into a sort of half Celestial. It was a failed experiment. Obviously we took care of the problem. We did. Baelis spoke to her spirit.

[G]

You're Veelyss?

[J]

Yes.

[D]

Yes.

[A]

Hello.

[D]

Hi.

[C]

I'm Tyranny.

[D]

A freshly newborn baby.

[C]

Yeah.

[G]

An old woman. Do you guys know each other or what's.

[C]

No, we're just getting a read on each other's age.

[D]

Yeah, yeah. Did you say your name is Nick?

[G]

I go by many names in the service of subterfuge.

[C]

Jesus Christ.

[G]

You may call me Wick.

[A]

Wick Lick Sick.

[B]

Varen looks at you. Azunay.

[H]

Yes.

[B]

Hearing Hal say that and hearing about this Mara woman you see, he looks over and says. Falcon's Rest. The day you told me to light the fire. They had cleared all the falcon's nests off of Falcon's Rest.

[H]

I think that they were looking.

[J]

Who?

[D]

Searching for her.

[H]

They're looking for her.

[D]

Mara.

[I]

No, no, no. Who is they?

[H]

The sundered houses. That soon after Thiazi's execution. The sundered houses. I go to the Falcon's Rest. Soon after that they were gone. All those falcons were gone. And perhaps I initially thought that they were just slaughtering the falcons as a sign.

[G]

As they were looking for one specifically.

[H]

But I think they were looking for one to kill specifically. And it must be his companion.

[G]

Mara was mentioned in this letter.

[D]

Yeah. And I pull out the letter.

[B]

Yes.

[D]

And I show it to everyone.

[B]

We all wrap it up immediately.

[C]

A letter

[G]

paints blood. Steel. Steel anchor Bogri. It's all out there.

[C]

That's all of our recaps from now on.

[B]

I love it.

[A]

There are two dimensions of an anchor. What the fuck is an anchor?

[D]

An ancient artifact. Something from pre shapers that held a lot of power.

[G]

It could be the song Of Song. Song, Right.

[C]

I don't know what that is.

[D]

The Stone of Night. Song is an anchor.

[A]

It's just the nice one.

[B]

I'll say this, too. You've just heard for the first time. Thimble, the name Mara, the wing, and rereading the letter to everybody, you come across that linguist line of, we've sent

[C]

our wings across the border.

[F]

She's one of a troop, like the

[D]

hounds are leading a charge across the border.

[H]

What border?

[G]

Well, there's been activity in Timony, but I don't know if that's the right border.

[I]

In this letter, Amara also has a very special ability to cross into the underworld and back.

[D]

So the border is the border to the underworld?

[C]

Could be.

[J]

So here's part of it goes away from this. My. We found a letter from my sisters Petra and Raya talking to my Uncle Secundus. And they says a lot of things, but one of the main takeaways is that my father is going off script. The house Takon has had political machinations and things they were trying to do, but my father is doing things that are not part of the original plan.

[C]

I saw him sailing across a lake in the underworld. Yeah, he had white banners and stone soldiers. Stone paladins.

[J]

You mentioned something? Yeah, someone being stoned.

[D]

Oh, Teor's brother, Sid.

[J]

Your brother?

[A]

I am Teor.

[J]

Yes, we met. Your brother is stone.

[A]

Yes. Turned to stone.

[G]

But Baulaire's gonna fix him.

[C]

We have a potion being cooked up right now at the island.

[J]

If it helps, I have two vials of what is essentially a resistance to petrification. If it can help in that process,

[D]

that would help if any of us

[B]

try to get an incident.

[E]

Very helpful.

[F]

Hal carefully picks up the letter with Thimble still standing on it and says, what about this bit? With any luck, the next time I see your face will have undone the damage of our first attempt. What's that about?

[D]

I'm not sure.

[G]

They tried this ritual once before.

[D]

They tried it before, it sounds like. And something terrible happened.

[C]

We wonder how long ago.

[D]

Well, I remember. I remember the day that the doors closed.

[C]

Teferi.

[D]

Yeah. Thaz was yelling at Mara about an anchor, finding another anchor. I can't.

[H]

What?

[J]

You mean when the spirit.

[E]

We ruined something that deserves to be ruined, right?

[G]

Which son of a.

[J]

What?

[G]

The man who stinks of alcohol. What? What are you saying?

[D]

Oh, Catican. He didn't say anything.

[H]

Oh, yeah.

[A]

I've been quiet this whole time.

[B]

Misha looks at you and says, do you want some tea to pep you up yeah. All right.

[H]

Okay.

[E]

Does this mean anything to you? Optus? We ruined something that deserves to be ruined.

[C]

We heard that from this real creepo guy who worked at the Knife and Pallet.

[H]

Hollis Kennywater.

[J]

Right.

[C]

And he was like. He said a bunch of stuff. He said. Yeah, he was talking about how his mistress was the one who is the proprietor and the one who's clearly doing all the cooking of all these paints and rendering of the blood in the back. And he was the one that said. All that he can say is that this was ruined. Something was ruined that deserved to be ruined.

[J]

When this was worked with, that mistress,

[H]

she was working with Yazi.

[J]

Something ruined that meant to be ruined. Okay. Possibility necromantic energy shot through Teferi. Which is why they closed the doors. Ten guesses as to who has necromantic energy. My family. A ritual was being prepared. Possibly Thiazi interrupted that, but it still did something. Which was shot through Tefalion.

[D]

What if they're trying to open up a door to the underworld?

[C]

I think that's exactly what they're trying to do.

[J]

In the letter, it got messed up.

[D]

They closed one door. That's why it says more than one door will be open to us if they complete this ritual. Underworld and Fae.

[J]

So my father is trying to destroy the path, which is the natural progression of where spirits go.

[D]

So then spirits would be everywhere. Yeah.

[C]

I think they're trying to open a portal at the Hallowed round tomorrow night with these paints and open a door right in the middle of Dilmur.

[D]

You just finished the theater.

[J]

Sorry. Point of clarification is, do we know Is the King of Timony Okay?

[H]

Yes.

[C]

We thwarted an assassination attempt.

[J]

Okay.

[H]

And we are meant to meet later tonight.

[I]

That was it.

[J]

That's also in the letter. They were planning to kill him. My family.

[B]

So Varen looks and says. I got confirmation by the way. We escorted the King back to Bowsprit Manor and I didn't let anyone know. But we've had some magpies watching over just to make sure that everything's

[C]

so. We have 350 mercenary soldiers that are on our side and dedicated to our cause.

[E]

By the way, series of warehouses as well.

[B]

Just in case.

[G]

Wait, What?

[H]

Some food storage?

[G]

Who commands them?

[C]

We've been real busy.

[H]

We've been preparing for what we are convinced is war. I initially started thinking that it was a rebellion that we were reigniting, but now I think it's more than that.

[C]

Also, every Magpie in the city is kind of a spy now. And an animal messenger. So you can use the magpies around the city to communicate.

[D]

So King Gus is on our side.

[H]

Well, we are still.

[G]

Do they understand, at least?

[J]

King Gus is an enemy to my family. Is as much as I can.

[H]

That's a question for how

[D]

so? King Gus is an ally. I think he's a good guy. He means anything. Well, at least his hounds are. They seemed noble.

[H]

Well, we're meeting with him tonight. And maybe a few of us can go there and solidify this alliance.

[J]

I do just want to clarify. When we spoke to Tertia's spirit, we didn't get much information before a massive skeletal hand stole the spirit away from us. So there are things happening beyond our mortal realm control.

[D]

And that's your dad?

[J]

Probably. My family's. Actual. What they thought they were doing is political things. They're killing the King of Timony. They're doing these things. My father is trying to destroy the path. It's his goal, not.

[H]

Do you have that letter, Octus?

[B]

I do.

[H]

I need it. Can I have it?

[J]

Yes.

[C]

Octus.

[B]

So much easier than I thought. Isildur.

[D]

Isildur.

[H]

What else can I get from him while I'm here? So I'm gonna just take a leap. It looks like we have a history of this ritual being done, or at least attempted by Thiazi. By your family. Multiple times. Failing multiple times. And it seems like they're trying again.

[J]

Every Celestial my family has tried to make has been a failure. Because it cannot happen with people with sorceress blood.

[C]

Speaking of, do you know about the candle?

[J]

Do you know the one my father used? Yeah, I don't know specifically what it was.

[H]

This one.

[D]

God, so that candle reeks.

[C]

That candle actually smells real good. Is made with fats rendered from Tacona's family members.

[J]

Right.

[C]

Can I ch.

[J]

Don't touch it.

[B]

I swear you can't.

[H]

No.

[D]

Wait.

[C]

What do you mean, don't touch it?

[J]

It's already hurt.

[I]

No, that was a tear.

[C]

Smells like a snack.

[D]

Stop trying to eat, everybody.

[B]

I am so hungry, I put it away.

[J]

Moment on the lips, Reverend I did not know that. But it makes sense if they needed to. That candle was part of the ritual in which was making it the proxy site for the ritual that was happening in Tanasar. In burning that candle where they did, it caused the link. It allowed them to do the thing they were trying to do to me at the house. To Venos. As opposed to in Tanasar.

[C]

That's correct. It's like a shortcut. And I know for a fact that. That there's one other of these candles in existence, apparently there were a lot more that they used in the Shapers War and war of axe and Warvax and vine. Or Shaper's War.

[H]

Shapers War.

[C]

Shapers War. So these were once in abundance with the Taconis family. But I know that there's one more that still exists.

[J]

They are very much in the habit of using organic components.

[D]

So what are our steps before tomorrow?

[H]

I have a list.

[D]

Are you making a stand against the Houses?

[H]

Well, we're still prepping.

[G]

Shouldn't we just cancel the play? And then no one will come, and then the ritual won't happen.

[B]

Right.

[G]

I'd hate to miss a play. It sounds very good, but that is

[F]

the smartest thing you've ever said.

[H]

Wakanda, right?

[J]

It is possible they are trying to use the audience members as part.

[F]

That is my question. And I have been sitting on it. How do I in good conscience, bring thousands from the city into the hallowed realm? My own troop, our daughter. We have no concept of what's to fall there tomorrow night.

[E]

Well, I suppose it depends on how much we trust your brother, but.

[I]

Sorry, one question. What ritual's being set up? It feels like Shadia using the paint was an accident. The pariah blades weren't supposed to to be there.

[J]

What ritual? I'm reading the two schools of thought on this correctly. Either the paints are used to enforce the ritual, and they were sent to your theater in order to get either in the hopes they would be painted or to have somebody go and paint them. Whichever one happened first. Or Thiazi intercepted the idea and had paints commissioned that were supposed to be the antithesis of the ritual that's happening there.

[H]

That's what I'm thinking.

[C]

We also know. I mean, Hal was in front of the the council for weeks. And also petitioning the Sundered Houses to grant him ownership of the hallowed round. All of the sundered Houses knew exactly what Hal was doing.

[J]

And all the sundered Houses are meeting today, correct?

[C]

Tomorrow.

[H]

Tomorrow.

[J]

Tomorrow.

[H]

Meeting tomorrow.

[C]

We've also heard that Primus Daconis is due back in town.

[D]

He's been missing from his underworld trip.

[H]

Yeah, that's a weird yes, of course. Yeah. So I have some information on what the Sundered Houses believe. They're all working together. We are on the same page about that. Except that House Taconis Primus has gone in a different direction. But they are all convinced that tomorrow is a day is going to be a big day. The one missing thing is how you have yet to have your meeting with the Fotarch. Is that right?

[G]

Your meeting with my grandmother?

[H]

I've said all along that Hailuvar has been trying to sink their teeth into you. The rest of us have had one of those houses come for the institution that we work for. And she has been trying this entire time to come for you. I'm wondering if they're still preparing and that her participation with your theater. It's the missing. Whatever their version of the paint is, is what is somehow going to be put on you. But maybe Thiazi is working to thwart them. And maybe the paints that he delivered are not the celestial blood.

[F]

Maybe the blood is angel blood, and maybe the blood is Orc's blood. And maybe Taconis is coming back and maybe he's not. And maybe this is their plan, and maybe it's not. How do I risk 5,000 people's lives?

[C]

I mean, we could cancel the play and see what they do. How they react would be a pretty big indicator, don't you think?

[F]

What's the alternative?

[H]

I think, Hal, you should ask yourself, and I'm sorry to remind you of your brother who kept so much from you, but why would your brother risk 5,000 people?

[D]

He wouldn't.

[B]

He wouldn't.

[C]

He wouldn't.

[D]

Bolair, stop snorting over there.

[B]

Would he?

[E]

Kindly, and with as much respect for the man as I can muster, he would risk 5,000 people. If he knew he were saving many, many more.

[H]

He would.

[E]

He was a soldier. He understood that. Sometimes it is, in fact, a numbers game.

[C]

I think the first. Sorry, Brennan.

[B]

No, you're good. Fine, you're good.

[C]

I think our first objective is to see if we can get Cid back. We know from these runes that you all uncovered that mortal breath ruins whatever cruise Taconis is on in the underworld. So maybe that could be the first step in starting to slowly dismantle whatever this plan is. Because I am not entirely convinced that the whole reason that Deconus is apparently going off book and going on his little sailing trip with his little boat shoes is because he needs to plant something in the underworld on the other side in order to make a connection. In order to make a gate. A gate.

[J]

To the best of my knowledge, my father is not dead, so it is very possible that he is doing some sort of spell or ritual to project himself into the underworld and not actually have his physical body go down.

[A]

To the best of our knowledge, here in this chamber. Does anybody know what a sea door could be to the north?

[B]

Perhaps.

[C]

But I have heard of A sea door?

[B]

You have not heard of a sea door? But as you say, Seadore, I think our soldiers at least have a. There is a reference to a sea in the document that you had, right? The thing that Teor found. The list of runes, the glyphs that you just deciphered. Talked about the Sea of Lycoris.

[H]

Yes, which we learned of recently.

[E]

Oh, no, we didn't.

[D]

And from the ruins.

[C]

The Sea of Lacos is what Taconis is sailing across.

[H]

And that's the part of the underworld that's been there.

[D]

The Sea of Lacos is the door to the underworld.

[J]

Which is where. Give me this back.

[B]

I'll say this, too. I want every schemer here to give me a history check.

[I]

Hey, if I see Murray thinking real hard, I'll cast guidance.

[C]

I'm good, baby.

[B]

20.

[J]

My sisters are also going Bolaire.

[H]

Oh, sorry.

[B]

Was that 25? 25. Hell, yeah. I think both of you guys. As Hal begins to ask these questions of, do we think Thiazi was a hero and was trying to thwart something? Do we think Thiazi was a villain and were working with some of the worst people in the world? Do we think it's something in between? And Hal's bigger question of does any of it matter? At the risk of thousands of people talking to Wick about blood. Angel blood. Filament. Blood in a well underneath tanasar knife and pigment. Knife and pallet pigment. You remember, I think, talking to Hollis Kinneywater, the missing piece of the chain, right? Or at least where your trail went cold because you followed the paint to the amphora, the amphora to the kiln, and the kiln to where the paint was rendered. And that's where you found to hold the bottom of the seat. And that's where you found this weird little halfling who told you, come back and talk to my mistress another time. But he did say one thing. Which was he said, my mistress wishes to speak to Wikander Haiflafar. And I think that, as you guys remember, that that was the. The only thing that Hollis perked up about in the time that you spoke to him. As you have these questions about blood and questions about paint. All of that is the fact that the last time you were following that trail, it went cold. But it went cold because Wakandra Haylevar was missing in the wind. It's on my list.

[C]

But she also said that she was going on a little. On a little walkabout on a little expedition and wasn't going to be back until the day after Candle feast and wasn't going to be back until the day after the opening night of the play.

[B]

However, I've said that's just what she said.

[C]

That's just what she said. And I've had suspicions from the beginning that she's actually just holed up in a basement somewhere and she didn't go anywhere for. For Candle's fees. So I think that everywhere. Gross.

[H]

I think that that gives us what you were saying. Thimble is. What do we do about this now? What do we do about this now? I think today we have one more day to get more information because clearly we do not have the whole picture yet.

[A]

Yeah, you gotta give me something to fucking do or I'm gonna lose my mind. And Catagan, hearing all this talk about sea doors and portals, is literally at

[B]

an interior interior door in Hal's house that he's plumbing with a knife because

[A]

it's scraping against the top of the thing.

[B]

He's doing anything to occupy his body because his mind is numb.

[A]

Give me something to do or I'm gonna fucking lose it.

[B]

You wanna go patrol or something?

[A]

I'm losing it.

[B]

Perimeter security is very important.

[H]

Well, then let's do that. I have on my list things that are happening today. We have a meeting with Augustus. We have a meeting with the Fotar Kal. We have Hollis Kennywater and his mistress at the Knife and Pallet Pigments. She's interested in Wick. We should take Wick. She will suddenly maybe manifest be useful.

[D]

Wick be useful.

[H]

And we have cid. But that's already.

[C]

We already are doing what we can do in action. It'll probably take roughly four hours. So tonight, maybe we all meet back. Maybe. Maybe some of us. Maybe some of us all meet back at the Arknod and we can.

[H]

And then we can break from here.

[C]

We can try and bring CID back. CID's gonna have a lot of information. What did he hear last?

[J]

I do have one question I need to ask. Have any of you heard of a ship called the Moray?

[B]

No.

[H]

No.

[J]

It's apparently what they're taking into the underworld. And I just wanted to put that out there so anyone had heard anything about it.

[H]

Is Varen still here?

[B]

Varen's here? Varen says I can track that down.

[E]

I have a quick stop. We clearly have to deal with the brother as well, who's currently stoned, so to speak. I have some questions I have to ask the museum as well,

[J]

preferably for tomorrow.

[B]

You see, Varen stands up and says this may be the most significant group of people that represent some chance for this world sliding into shadow to crawl back to something like peace. So it gives me great fear that we are all in one room. I'm going to head and look for as you've said, anything about the Moray. Also just Lieutenant keeping an eye out for Lana Strossa and any activity that I see about that. If there are some byways that smugglers and assassins use to get out of the city and I'm keeping an eye on it.

[H]

One more thing, Baron. Marie is your point person from here on out.

[I]

What?

[G]

Why?

[C]

What?

[H]

I need to talk.

[C]

I've got so much shit on my plate.

[H]

Marie, I have to talk to you. And Thimble, I have to talk to

[B]

you before we break from here.

[D]

Before we break. Are we sure that the sundered houses are actually trying to open a doorway and it wasn't just Thass?

[H]

Yes, there's evidence. They've already tried it with him, I think.

[D]

But weren't they trying to turn him into a Celestial so they could also have power like the hail of ours?

[J]

But there is reference to them tracking down stolen Chalcidian, my family at least, which I believe is an anchor. And it is the thing that I believe the Azzy stole from Valis. The stone of Nightsong. They were trying to track it down. The AZI got that first. They all looking for these things. And whether or not they're working with another house in whatever this is, I don't know. But they were trying to find these things of curiosity.

[D]

In doing what we've done, painting the theater and bringing the blades there. Are we going to accidentally open a door?

[C]

The blades will be here by tonight.

[D]

So are we going to accidentally open a door?

[C]

The blades are being brought here to Hal's house, not the theater. Tonight. They will not be there.

[J]

In these kind of rituals, I believe requires intention. And I don't think you can accidentally do it. Okay, but if all the pieces are there and someone who knows what's going on, shows up and can do it, then that's a different issue.

[C]

Also, I would say that letter that you have in the very beginning, it talks about that I'm standing on.

[D]

Yes, yes.

[C]

This letter that you're standing on, when it says you have the stone in hand, we'll need the steel. You said you can convince her to reshape it into an anchor. If not, anyone in the family can make a plowshare. So there's this old adage, her might be the mistress.

[D]

Her might be somebody that's an expert in blades.

[C]

Oh, might be the Loy family. This is a letter to Thaz. So obviously, if he's talking about somebody in the family, I'm assuming it's the Loy family.

[E]

Well, it's also, let's not forget that there was an attempt to steal the blades.

[C]

So Lady Cormoray had great interest in the blades. Also, she sucked into that casket right now.

[J]

What?

[B]

What?

[D]

Great. And she's no problem.

[B]

Hold on.

[H]

Huh?

[E]

We agree.

[G]

Yeah.

[C]

She kind of marked them with her blood. And then we knew that the blades were very important, so we were trying to smuggle them out. And then she was like, what are you doing? And then she. I'm truncating the story.

[A]

Is it still alive in there?

[D]

Can you reshape the stone into an Angler Tyche?

[E]

I would say.

[I]

I. I mean, my family made the blades, and I'm no slouch, but.

[H]

But, but, but.

[E]

Do we want storage?

[I]

Storage? No, I think maybe we don't.

[D]

That this is what the plan was. And then I think it would be smart to search for Bogri.

[C]

Right? Bo Gri. This fucker.

[E]

Let's just.

[D]

I can ask around. I'll ask. You can ask your magpies.

[G]

Someone should make a list.

[B]

I feel like.

[J]

Do you make those?

[H]

I make my own.

[B]

I want Octis and Thimble to make insight checks for me. Or they could fight.

[F]

Or they could fight.

[B]

Ooh.

[C]

One of a oakrage. You know, I just be all.

[B]

Actually, you can choose Insight or Arcana.

[J]

Oh, which will he pick? Which will I pick?

[D]

Fuck you.

[I]

She's in the box.

[C]

1125 arcana.

[B]

25 arcana. Fimble. Thimble and Octis. Eight years ago, Fairy closed its doors. Eight years ago, Fairy closed its doors as the underworld filled with the power of death. And now a fairy beholds a thing that is dead. And you guys regard each other with love and camaraderie. What a strange thing. In all of the tidings of Ahriman on an 11 insight. Thimble, you've never seen Octis's face be this inscrutable. It doesn't move unless he commands it to withstand the act of will. And Thimble is looking up as a storm cloud gathers. That seems to indicate that Fiazi may have lied to her. But something in her heart believes that cannot be true. The last thing Thimble said was, do we have any indication that Thiazi was working with the Sundered Houses? Why do we believe. Believe that this planet's planet that's under Houses and Octus. You were very quick to point out that there is Chalcidian. The Stone of Nightsong was a target for your family, as it was for Thiazi on a 25 arcana. I think you are aware that Thiazi's attention to the Stone of Night Song and your family's attention to the Stone of Night Song is the only hinge that connects the sundered houses to what you have seen in this letter and in this larger plan. Now you've chosen to roll Arcana. It doesn't give you truth of the heart. It doesn't give you a feeling of right or wrong. But you become aware that the grand theory that the sundered houses are involved with this blood or this paint hinges on that one piece of information that you have. How likely is it that two people, two groups, two institutions, two great causes would want the same thing, if not for the same purpose? It's possible. And then again, you are left to wonder.

[J]

From everything I've heard tonight, today, whatever time it is, the only thing that connects everything hinges on the stone. On the Aussie interacting with the stone and stealing it from Sisters of Salendri. And then. Sorry. It's the only point in which everything converges.

[D]

Yeah. And they killed him for it, right? Why would they kill him for it if he was working with them?

[H]

Because he.

[J]

I don't know.

[H]

I don't.

[C]

Here.

[H]

Here's my guess. The same object can create something different depending on the intent of. Of the person that is utilizing it. How? You have this theater that you converted. That was a sacred place that was meant only to worship Asgra. And it was meant to be full of rituals that evoked fear and terror. And you are taking that same sacred place and you are changing it into a place that hopefully evokes something new for the people. Wonder.

[B]

Hope.

[H]

This is what the Stone of Nightsong is. It depends on who wields it, the intention of the person behind it. Tycha. You can shape the Stone of Nightsong with a different intention.

[D]

Who has the stone now? I do.

[G]

Can we have it?

[D]

No. Why? I am not giving up the stone.

[J]

I. It's very delicate. We don't know what it's doing. We haven't figured it out. We don't know if I'm still linked to it. We don't know if it will have a reaction if I touch it, if we give it away, if it moves far away from me. We don't know.

[E]

Can we look at it at the museum, perhaps, while I'm there. Would that be agreeable to you?

[C]

I don't know.

[D]

Bowlair.

[E]

Do you trust me?

[G]

Me?

[D]

I don't trust you. And you know this.

[E]

So who would you trust if you had to go there with me? Think about it. You don't have to answer now.

[G]

You.

[C]

You can trust me. I don't care about a stone.

[J]

I felt the ramifications of what the two of you did while we were in Tanasar. What you did that woke me up. I felt those echoes while we were in Tanasar. The. The moving of threads.

[C]

Yeah. Fabric of reality has shifted.

[J]

Yeah.

[B]

Oh.

[J]

I pull out a book, a large tome, and I hand it to you.

[C]

You brought me a sous vide.

[J]

This is the kibidin Kadaz.

[C]

The Kibidin Kibidim Kadaz.

[B]

Say it normal. I'll beat the shit out of you.

[C]

Kibidin Kibdaz. Yes.

[B]

Keep the ding.

[H]

Don't get the name.

[C]

My nose, please.

[B]

That was so cute. In that same segment, you also not only have that as you're giving Murray this gift, there are also all of the gems from the obelisk that you have in there. The ones that were radiating with that.

[J]

We also brought a few things back. And I'm going to lay out on the floor wherever is in front of us. Everything we grabbed from the barracks. All the notes, all the papers that we took, and all the of the gems. We also. Tova brought these back.

[B]

Murray, seeing those gems on there, your three upper right molars hum in harmony that you can hear like a powerful chord being struck. Give me Arcana with advantage. Got to go see somebody about that.

[C]

What am I doing?

[B]

Arcana with advantage.

[H]

Arcana. Advantage.

[B]

What is that?

[C]

It's a natural 20, baby. She don't need it.

[G]

I fucking saw it.

[B]

Okay, okay, okay.

[C]

So wait. What are you doing on my essentials?

[B]

You have to hunt a Nat 20s. Everyone shut the fuck up.

[C]

Listen.

[B]

On a Nat 20, you all watch Murray. These gems begin to levitate off the table as your teeth vibrate you. Look at them. These were used to communicate a ritual happening at the Palazzo Divinos. Dark necromantic magic to use a defaced holy site half a world away in the endless night in Tanasar, across vast distances. A feat that used to be commonplace with magic. And after the shapers war was lost. No sending, no whispering wind, no nothing. Those stones vibrate. It was used for a ritual so foul that it would turn this good hearted young man into an angel of death to Work the wickedness of his father. Father on the world. And have you been talking about nothing else tonight but the fact that a tool, an artifact, a cause, an idea is changed by the intention of the one who uses it? You see those gems vibrating in that place? They used it to work wickedness. What could you use it for? You are level five. Let's fucking go. As you guys all watch. Murray. The fabric of reality that your portents allow you to manipulate, you become affixed to and attuned to. You realize that the world is not only made of words of power, but indeed chords and frequencies of power. And you see that arcane magic and the art of wizards is limitless. You gain access to third level spell slots if you don't have any third level spells in your book. But you got it.

[D]

It's okay.

[C]

I got the Kim Dinga dice.

[D]

Smart.

[B]

Say hi to the machine elves. Oh, no.

[J]

This book. This book is a dwarven book that allows you to speak to the memories of stones. Sorry, Druid. Druid book that allows you to speak to the memories of stones.

[C]

Speak to stones. Speak to memory. Gems are stones. Memory memory.

[B]

Gems are types of stones.

[H]

Yes, yes. Hold on, hold on.

[B]

Kahana of stones. Of stones.

[J]

And what are gems?

[D]

Stones.

[B]

You learned it here first, folks.

[D]

At home.

[C]

Gems is now a level five wizard.

[G]

Wait.

[C]

Spell book. What? Verin looks at you as.

[B]

Murray, I think you're knocked out of your agenda into being like, oh, shit. I'm also a wizard and love wizard stuff. I think you look at the time and see that the fo tarch will not wait much longer. If you are to.

[F]

I have one more item for the to do list.

[H]

Yes.

[F]

If we're moving forward with the play. If I'm tired of these sundered houses. Full intense. Full offense intended.

[B]

Yeah, yeah.

[F]

I want to be ready. We have 250 blades at the ready.

[C]

350.

[F]

I want them there.

[H]

They will be there.

[F]

I want to be ready for them, come what may.

[H]

Make sure everybody is ready. Murray. We will have a signal for them, right? One that can be seen from everywhere.

[C]

If anybody sees the shape of a magpie in the sky, that means shit's going down. I don't know what it means yet.

[D]

Wait.

[C]

But everyone should just pay attention to the sky.

[D]

Are we gonna try to take out the sundered houses tomorrow?

[B]

I don't.

[C]

I don't know what's happening. I think we're gonna have to play it as well.

[F]

We stopped an assassination yesterday. They're not infallible with a little Luck.

[E]

We could keep a war inside of a theater and it will never get out.

[C]

There are many of what we've just codename been referring to as our magpies. These are 350 hired swords.

[H]

Some are inside.

[D]

Oh, they're not really birds, you see.

[C]

No, they're people. Buff. Men and women.

[B]

Varian looks out and says, we are hired, but we're not doing it for the money. As long as our bellies are full, we'll fight.

[C]

They've been getting really excellent craft services. That is not a joke. But listen, this is all very important to everybody. There is a code name that you can talk to if you see one of these mercenaries or if you see another skeeper. There is a code greeting that they all know. It has been disseminated. So you can use this. If they respond accordingly. You know you can trust them. You ask, any good tidings?

[D]

Any good tidings? I thought it was you ask.

[C]

You ask. No.

[D]

Any good tidings?

[C]

You ask. Any good tidings? The response, always for a friend.

[J]

Okay.

[H]

And look out for this. And I will expose that kind of drawing of a bird that is easy enough to scrawl. Quickly, specific, just enough so it's noticeable, but not so much to where it catches people's attention that shouldn't be catching it.

[I]

And if you need that in the sky, I've got you.

[B]

Who's doing what?

[J]

Skyrim, baby.

[C]

I got it. Too much.

[A]

Who's going where?

[B]

Who's going when?

[G]

Where's the list?

[C]

Someone needs to talk to Wicked.

[J]

What do you mean?

[G]

I'm on the list too? Yes.

[H]

Yes.

[G]

So wait. Taero's brother should be on the list.

[H]

Teo's brother's on the list.

[C]

That's already in process.

[B]

Read the list.

[C]

It's gonna take some time. I have to go meet with King Gus.

[H]

Yes. And do you want people to go with you? Because that's one group.

[C]

I think so.

[H]

We also have the meeting with the Fotar. Kal, you shouldn't do it alone.

[E]

I don't think.

[F]

I think I have to walk in alone. But it'd be cool if somebody was nearby.

[E]

Especially some muscle.

[H]

And we have Hollis, Kenny, Water and his mistress at the Knife and Pallet Pigments.

[C]

That's the wick hander thing.

[H]

That's wick. That's where you need to go.

[G]

She wants to meet me.

[H]

She does?

[G]

Okay.

[C]

I would love some muscle with us. I have complete faith in our disguises. But it would be nice if somebody.

[D]

Or thimble.

[C]

Anybody.

[D]

Well, you've got more.

[A]

What do you say?

[C]

Somebody? Hollis was the little, like, halfling. Like creepy Hollis. Kenny Watt. Like guard. Like, basically her assistant. I don't know the mistress's name.

[H]

Nobody we don't know.

[C]

Hollis is with us, though.

[H]

Hollis is who you're going to meet who's going to help introduce Wick to the mistress that has some answers for us.

[D]

One of you guys have to go with him. He's useless.

[G]

I'll be fine.

[D]

No, he will ask the dumbest questions. You have to go with.

[C]

We need some.

[E]

We also have to keep him safe.

[H]

I think we need.

[E]

If you don't mind, this one needs to be alive for the end of it. I have a sneaking suspicion that he will be able to get information and is possibly a backup plan to keep an eye on.

[G]

I've made it this far. You all taught me quite well how to survive.

[C]

Yeah, he's been completely competent. And by the way, yeah, he might be a ninny and a nonce. And, yeah, he might be pretty pathetic. And yeah, I think that he has ibs, but he really risked his life to be here and continues to do so.

[D]

So be nice to him.

[C]

He really, really respects you, Hal. And you might be his only friend on the inside. He's rejected his entire family. So somebody's got to go with us.

[A]

I'll go with Hal. I need a break from him.

[D]

Well, that makes sense.

[G]

Thank you, Tyranny.

[H]

Okay.

[F]

Hal doesn't respond, but he respectfully listens and. And gives a small, crooked smile.

[A]

I think Julian looks to Belair and says, do you think he's of importance?

[E]

I think that if he had learned this information sooner, he would have been dead by now. And I think his first instinct when he found out what his family was really about was to tell the truth to anybody who he thought could help. I think that that could be useful because I don't think anyone, and I hope you understand what a compliment this is, respects him enough to lie to him.

[G]

We are still talking about me. Yes.

[E]

Which means I don't know that he is capable of telling the truth despite threat. They assume you have no honor.

[D]

And he's got wings, huh? Yes.

[G]

Super powerful, you guys.

[E]

And you are an honorable man. So so far. And I think you could keep being one.

[G]

Thank you.

[B]

As you guys gather your plans together to head off in different groups, Hal, you are headed to the Fo Tark, and then after that, to the hallowed round where all of your troop thinks they're running a dress rehearsal. But you may be telling Them that the show is off. So who is going with you to the foatarch, if anybody?

[F]

Kind of holding off on any kind of ultimate decision on that until after

[B]

I meet you with the Foetor.

[H]

Great. After you.

[A]

Got it.

[B]

Tysha already has offered to go with you.

[F]

Volunteered.

[H]

Great.

[F]

You wouldn't want to ride along in my pocket, would you?

[D]

To go see the fotar

[F]

a bad bitch.

[D]

I mean, I'll go with you if you need me to. Where are you going?

[J]

I was going to go where you go, but that is not a good place for me to go.

[D]

Sorry. Hal.

[H]

Kadigan with Hal, like always.

[B]

Cadan with Hal.

[H]

If he wants me.

[A]

I mean, I don't know why I wouldn't. I feel like I'm pretty confident. He said he needed muscle. You want a buddy?

[F]

I'll bring you along for the party.

[E]

Would you like to come with me

[B]

so that we can.

[C]

You can also come with me, Cadigan, if you want.

[A]

What's happening? I'm confused.

[B]

I feel like she's sending sickness.

[G]

Polaire.

[J]

Yes, Polair?

[E]

Would you like to come with me so that we could actually take a better look at.

[F]

Don't sleep on that.

[E]

What's happened to you? At least from a place where you could get a better handle on it for yourself. I have access to things in books that you probably don't have access to.

[J]

Do you want to?

[D]

Sure.

[J]

Baelas, do you want to?

[D]

Yes.

[J]

Okay.

[D]

And if anyone is going to look at this Stone Olayer. I trust her. I don't trust her.

[E]

I'm going to whisper something in your ear.

[B]

Is it all right if I get

[F]

up and whisper something?

[E]

Or should I say it in front

[G]

of the whole group?

[B]

Sure. Yeah, go for it. Go tell Ashley. Yeah, for sure. Ashley always gets whispered.

[D]

I should have.

[B]

Damn it.

[C]

Y' all just want to smell me.

[F]

I'd like everybody but Ashley to leave the table.

[B]

Maybe come back. So as we prepare for this meeting to come to an end, Hal, Tysha and Cadigan are headed towards the foetard. Is anyone else accompanying them?

[H]

No, I have to talk to to Thimble and Murray before we disperse.

[B]

Okay, cool. Who is headed to. Is anyone headed towards holliskinywater?

[G]

I believe I am, but who's taking me?

[D]

Same.

[A]

I'll say at the calls for them needing protection and seeing the other groups kind of handling themselves and just personal curiosity, I think Julian will accompany these two.

[D]

Okay.

[C]

And Hollis knows to expect us. And we. We don't need to hide that he is who he is. You should probably Roll with a schemer. Bair, do you want to take them to Hollis Cave?

[G]

Bolair has to rescue Teo's brother and analyze.

[C]

No, no, no, no. That's going to take like several hours while they cook up a potion for Sid. So that's been I needed for now, I think.

[B]

Actually, Murray, Hiro told you that she'll be done. If she's working full tilt, she'll be done after midnight. So you guys would actually be able to. If you guys can go there basically after everything you're doing, and you guys could potentially reassemble. I'll come with you.

[G]

Wait, no. What he's saying is the.

[J]

No, it'll be done later.

[G]

Oh, later today.

[B]

They'll be ready with the potion after the events.

[A]

Whatever we do.

[B]

I'll come with you.

[H]

Okay.

[B]

So Teor's going with Wick.

[D]

Teor, Wick, Tyranny and Julian.

[C]

Do they need a schemer to go with them or do you think it's

[D]

Boller, you can go.

[A]

What do you mean? I think it'll be great.

[B]

As long as it's gonna turn out perfectly. As long as it's gonna go.

[E]

The two of you are fine staying a bit after so I can take a look and do we have an arrangement?

[B]

Yeah.

[D]

Yes, we do.

[G]

Where are you going?

[E]

I'm glad to hear it.

[J]

So then, if we're not going to do that with Valera right now, where are we going?

[D]

We gotta go look for Bovary.

[E]

I am here to serve.

[H]

Okay.

[C]

Is it too early for me to go talk to King Gus?

[B]

No, you can go right now if you want.

[C]

Anyone want to roll with me to go talk to King Gus?

[F]

He likes me.

[D]

Do it.

[H]

Yeah, you guys will.

[J]

I'll go.

[G]

What is the masked one doing? You. Not you. Mask. You mask. The veil.

[I]

It's a veil.

[G]

Where are you going?

[E]

I was just gonna get confusing. Otherwise.

[B]

Thimble, Murray and Octus are going to speak to King Gus.

[D]

Yes,

[B]

Bolair, Wick, Teor, Tyranny and Julian are going to Knife and pigment. This is so fun. Hal, Taisha and Kadigan are going to the faux Turk. That is. 1, 2, 3.

[E]

I was going to say.

[F]

Do you want me with King Gus or no?

[A]

They're looking.

[B]

That leaves.

[C]

I think we need. We need a schemer to go. Cuz they don't. They won't have contacts. They gotta know we brought that man.

[B]

So as people be. That leaves Azune and Velis, who may have their own intentions. And let me say, I'm fully fine with that. Everyone. Do what your character would do.

[H]

If I can make it. I'll show up. As people are dispersing. I'm just going to remind Thimble and Mercy.

[D]

Let's talk now. What do you need to talk about?

[H]

I need to talk to you in private. Please. Please.

[D]

Tonight.

[H]

Right now.

[D]

Let's do it.

[H]

Okay. I'm going to move off to the side.

[B]

And I think as you move off to the side. I'm going to add you to that group. And you guys will check in before the departure. Does that make sense? That makes sense. Great. And then. Yes. Man.

[A]

Then if I can. As we're all kind of scattering. Brush up alongside the troop that's gathering with Thimble and say. Thimble was it?

[D]

You are such a shit.

[A]

I've spoken with some of the surviving Perries of the Orchard before coming here. And I have a message for you.

[B]

Twig's okay.

[A]

And that you are missed. They are also wondering what they should do.

[D]

Thank you. Got to go there, right?

[A]

I think we do.

[D]

Okay.

[J]

Thank you.

[A]

Good luck.

[C]

You too.

[J]

Before you go. If you need to contact the Totality. Dr. Talter knows what's going on with us.

[D]

Dr. Talter? The.

[A]

Oh.

[C]

You're reading the Kibernim kid ads. You already cracked that open. Great.

[J]

Ads. Dr. Talter has told you.

[C]

Dr. Who?

[J]

Dr. Talter.

[B]

Dr. Who?

[D]

Dr. Halter has.

[C]

Halter tauter.

[F]

Dr. Halter tap.

[J]

Will is looking into things on our behalf. And if I told him to contact you if they found anything.

[C]

Looking into behalf of what?

[J]

All of what we were dealing with in Tavasaur. They were there with us.

[I]

They're an expert on celestial anatomy.

[C]

Okay. Okay.

[B]

I felt that too. Just goes in that basement. Before we break apart.

[A]

I'm going to elbow tear in the ribs. You okay to be splitting up?

[G]

Yes.

[A]

Of course.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

You might be a little.

[B]

Little exposed without me.

[A]

But separation makes a heart grow fonder.

[E]

That's true. That's true.

[A]

Hey.

[J]

Are they.

[A]

This. This room's full of really smart people.

[B]

Right?

[F]

Yeah.

[A]

They're all very brainy. Sure seems like they got a lot of good guesses. Don't they? But I don't think they know.

[H]

Good luck out there.

[A]

All right.

[B]

This guy's be on. I love bros being bros. And the last. Unless there's anything else from anybody before we will. So you see how Tysha and Kagan prepare to go to the Via Aurora to speak to the newly resurrected Fo Tarch. We see Baer about to lead Wick and tyranny along with Teor and Julian to knife and pigment. Knife and pallet pigments. And we see that thimble Murray octys and potentially Azuna, who at least is remaining with them for a minute to speak, are going to remain at Hal's home before potentially going to Bowsprit Manor and speaking to King Gus.

[D]

Phelis, I believe I would trail behind, watching, keeping an eye on octys, because I don't know what's going to happen if I'm not close to him with a stone.

[B]

Phelis getting some distance once again. You have a little sprig of holly by your side. You look out, see distantly over the Tintasi Wood, that red tailed hawk in the distance that you know to be a Hanon, circling, searching for something in the distance. Stone of Nightsong, artifact of your goddess. Spoken of so glibly by an assembled group who with all of their ages put together, don't equal half of your life. Will you trail behind Octis? Or is there not some part of you that knows this stone could go back to the abbey and not a single soul here would have anything to say about it.

[C]

Why are you doing this to me?

[B]

Well, we're recording this, and so I.

[J]

What is all this?

[B]

I did it. I did it for story reasons.

[D]

Um. Oh, my goodness.

[B]

Just. Just one night.

[D]

I'm gonna. I'm gonna trail behind them, but not closely.

[B]

You got it.

[D]

But I want to be close enough if something is going to happen because I am curious about tomorrow.

[B]

But I. I want to be close but far exactly the right.

[C]

I want to not commit to an answer.

[B]

Trailing at a distance, you separate yourself from the living and breathing beings of this world. Sticking to the shadows, peace and quiet. Finally, it is effortless to stay far away from the living world and to live your life in shadow. You've been doing it for 70 years. And that's where we'll go to break.

[D]

Yeah.

[B]

And that's where we'll leave our story for now. Part two of this episode of Campaign. Four drops this Tuesday. Thanks for listening and we'll see you soon for more critical role.

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