Escape from the Reach | Age of Umbra Episode 7 Part 2

Summary

Critical Role Podcast Summary: "Escape from the Reach | Age of Umbra Episode 7 Part 2"

Release Date: July 29, 2025

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Episode Overview

In "Escape from the Reach | Age of Umbra Episode 7 Part 2," the beloved Critical Role team delves deeper into the dark and intricate world of Exandria through their latest tabletop RPG campaign, "Daggerheart" from Darrington Press. Hosted by Matthew Mercer, this episode continues the adventurers' perilous journey through the Cinnabar Quarter and the surrounding ominous wilderness, battling both external threats and internal struggles.

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Key Plot Points and Progression

1. Navigating the Cinnabar Quarter

The adventurers arrive at the northern gate of the Cinnabar Quarter, witnessing the aftermath of a burning household nearby ([03:03]). Faced with a massive, seemingly impassable gate, the team grapples with how to proceed, ultimately deciding to climb over the perimeter walls after multiple failed attempts to push the gate open.

Critical Role Player: "We failed again, didn't we?" ([05:05])

2. Entering the Ornweald Forest

Upon successfully climbing the wall, the party enters the dense and foreboding Ornweald Forest. The environment is hostile, with remnants of past struggles evident in the scattered bones and tarnished shields intermingled with nature.

Ashley Johnson: "We're so close. We're so close." ([11:15])

3. Encounter with the Raccoon Creature

While traversing the forest, the team encounters a peculiar raccoon-like creature attempting to communicate. Using the Nature's Tongue spell, the representative manages to converse with it, uncovering vital information about a golden glow structure—hinting at the Astra Foundry and the Barrow of Blind Repose.

Thumbtack Representative: "Nature's tongue allows me to speak the language of the night." ([28:16])

4. Confrontation with the Corrupted Fane Warden

The adventurers discover an ancient temple now corrupted by dark shadows. A colossal Fane Warden, a guardian spirit once tied to the land, rises to challenge them. The team engages in a fierce battle, employing a combination of strength, magic, and strategic maneuvers to weaken the entity.

Matthew Mercer: "As you charge into the wooded space before you..." ([09:22])

5. Redemption of the Fane Warden

Through perseverance and teamwork, Ashley Johnson's character channels an ancient hymn, invoking the spirit of nature to cleanse the corruption from the Fane Warden. This act transforms the warden from a menacing guardian into a beautiful, moss-covered tree, symbolizing the restoration of balance and the team's success in combating the umbral darkness.

Ashley Johnson: "I'm just gonna try and pump in a sparing touch." ([61:28])

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Character Actions and Strategies

Ashley Johnson's Heroic Intervention:

Ashley plays a pivotal role in redeeming the Fane Warden. By casting a healing spell and reciting an ancient hymn, her character taps into deep-seated divine energies to purify the corrupted entity.

Ashley Johnson: "I'll use a second level healing hands spell, which is a spell casting roll to try and pump two hit points in if it succeeds." ([61:57])

Thumbtack Representative's Tactical Moves:

The representative showcases strategic prowess by utilizing spells like Vicious Entangle and Nature's Tongue to control the battlefield and communicate with the raccoon creature, providing crucial information for the party's advancement.

Thumbtack Representative: "I'll cast vicious entangle on the young lad." ([50:01])

Critical Role Player's Combat Prowess:

Engaging directly with the Fane Warden, the player demonstrates bravery and resilience, enduring significant damage while managing to land crucial strikes against the formidable guardian.

Critical Role Player: "I will try and pump in a sparing touch." ([61:57])

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Challenges and Resolutions

Overcoming Physical Barriers:

The initial challenge of the closed gate is met with multiple attempts to push it open. Despite repeated failures, the team's determination leads them to find an alternative route by scaling the perimeter wall.

Facing the Corrupted Fane:

The battle with the Fane Warden tests the party's combat skills and strategic thinking. The warden's relentless attacks and dark magic pose a significant threat, but the adventurers' coordinated efforts and Ashley's healing intervention turn the tide in their favor.

Navigating the Dense Forest:

The Ornweald Forest proves treacherous, with natural obstacles and eerie sounds heightening the sense of danger. The encounter with the raccoon creature provides necessary guidance, helping the team locate their next objective.

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Notable Quotes

• Matthew Mercer: "Sometimes that's all you have to go on in this world is a little bit of hope." ([73:44])

• Ashley Johnson: "We're doing it, Peter." ([66:02])

• Thumbtack Representative: "That was amazing, Idol." ([71:25])

• Critical Role Player: "The forest is healing." ([71:15])

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Conclusion

In this exhilarating continuation of the Age of Umbra campaign, Critical Role's adventurers demonstrate unwavering courage and teamwork against formidable odds. From overcoming physical barriers and navigating treacherous forests to engaging in intense combat and ultimately redeeming a corrupted guardian, the team exemplifies the essence of collaborative storytelling and immersive roleplaying. As the land begins to heal, the path to the Barrow of Blind Repose beckons, setting the stage for the campaign's anticipated finale.

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Looking Forward

As "Escape from the Reach | Age of Umbra Episode 7 Part 2" concludes, listeners are left eagerly anticipating the final episode of this arc. The adventurers' journey continues to captivate with its rich narrative, dynamic character interactions, and the ever-present struggle between light and darkness within the world of Exandria.

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Join the adventure and follow Critical Role for more epic tales and thrilling quests in the world of table-top roleplaying!

Transcript

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Download today hey there Critter Podcast listeners. We have a special new membership service at Beacon TV where you get early access to all new podcast episodes, including Critical Role. For the first time ever, Beacon members also get things like live event presales, merch discounts, access to a private community, discord, and new exclusive series like Critical Role Cooldown. Think of it as our digital Critical Role land. Head on over to Beacon TV to check it out for yourself and start a seven day free trial. Thank you so much for your support for being a podcast listener and for being a part of our community.

[Ashley Johnson]

Hey there Critters. This is Ashley Johnson and Telus and Jeffe, and we're popping in here to talk about our new podcast on Beacon. Weird Kids.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

In this series, we're diving into our lives as former child actors, from unraveling our eccentric upbringings to embracing all the delightfully odd interests we still have.

[Ashley Johnson]

Today, we're covering so many topics like antique toys, taxidermy, Japanese pop culture, and honestly, anything else we come up with.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

Weird Kids is available exclusively on Beacon. But good news, we're offering a one month free trial on Beacon TV so you can take a look before you become a member. Just use the code Weirdos at Beacon TV to start the trial.

[Ashley Johnson]

You can also find fellow weirdos by following the series on our heweirdkidspod Instagram and using the hashtag weirdkids.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

So, to all the misfits, outcasts and weirdos out there, come take a seat at our table and celebrate all things unconventional, nostalgic and wonderfully weird. Welcome to Weird Kids.

[Ashley Johnson]

New episodes release every Tuesday.

[Matthew Mercer]

Hey there, Matthew Mercer here, and you're listening to part two of this episode of Age of Umbra, a dark tale and campaign setting from our recently released tabletop RPG Daggerheart from Darrington Press. If you haven't checked out part one yet, pause this now and head over there first. Otherwise, let's return to our adventurers striving against the darkness in part two. And welcome back. So, as you've reached the northern gate of the Cinnabar Quarter, you've moved past unnoticed by some of the damask queens that were about to celebrate someone's birthday. As the flames crackle in the distance and the pillar of black smoke denoting the burning household that you had briefly spent some time hiding in crackles in the distance, you reach the exterior gate that is closed before you. How do you proceed?

[Critical Role Player]

That's right, the gate. There's another gate.

[Matthew Mercer]

Fuck.

[Critical Role Player]

People out and around looking or noticeably less people in this area.

[Matthew Mercer]

We seem to be in this area where you guys have had through this area at this gate. There's nobody here at the moment.

[Critical Role Player]

I mean, I always try pushing.

[Thumbtack Representative]

We're going into the Cinnabon quarter or out of the Cinnabon Quarter.

[Matthew Mercer]

You're leaving the Cinnabar Quarter, heading northward. This is the exterior gate. Yeah, this is the perimeter gate.

[Thumbtack Representative]

Is it said that the Cinnabon has sort of layers and layers.

[Matthew Mercer]

Oh, boy.

[Critical Role Player]

You want to help me push?

Yeah. Is it a pushy? Is it a pushy cake or is it a lifty gate?

[Matthew Mercer]

It looks like it opens outward or inward.

[Thumbtack Representative]

That's either or.

[Critical Role Player]

That's a pushy gate you're pulling.

[Ashley Johnson]

Try pushing and then try pulling first try.

[Critical Role Player]

Yeah, we were here yesterday. This one pushes.

We had people.

That's such a deep cut.

Detect magic. And now we got nothing.

[Ashley Johnson]

Yeah, real bare bones here.

[Matthew Mercer]

Now I think you should leave experience.

[Critical Role Player]

Yes.

[Matthew Mercer]

Yeah.

[Thumbtack Representative]

Or you just like do very uncomfortable things.

[Matthew Mercer]

Honestly, pretty great. If you both want to try and put both of your weight behind it, one of you can make a strength rolling the other can spend a hope to help. Or you can try and make a group roll between the two of you. Your choice.

[Critical Role Player]

What's your strength?

Buff plus three.

Same. You want it?

Yeah, sure, sure. But you spent all your hope, right?

I got one more hope I can spend.

Well then how about I'm gonna spend a hope to help you?

Okay.

[Matthew Mercer]

All right.

[Critical Role Player]

Because I have three hope.

[Matthew Mercer]

You go ahead and make a strength action roll. Add the D6.

[Critical Role Player]

I know.

Not bad. 9, 10, 11, 16. With hope.

[Thumbtack Representative]

Woo.

[Critical Role Player]

Nice.

[Matthew Mercer]

You take a hope, but the gate is too heavy for you to push. Both of you lean against it.

[Critical Role Player]

Is it a pull?

[Matthew Mercer]

You're both just like. No, it's just a very massive door. It's a very massive gate.

[Ashley Johnson]

Oh, I just got your. I think you should leave.

[Matthew Mercer]

Jove. There it is.

[Critical Role Player]

Damn.

Any chains leading up to the top of the wall or anything like on the previous gate? Anything that could be scalable?

[Matthew Mercer]

Nothing easily scalable. There are amongst the perimeter wall, you can see there are arrow slits at different stages that could be possibly leapt and climbed to get to the top of that outer wall parapet. If you'd like to.

[Ashley Johnson]

Do you think something's blocking it?

[Critical Role Player]

Like a big bar or big chair? Yeah.

[Thumbtack Representative]

There's no one manning these gates. Right. There's no guard or watch person?

[Matthew Mercer]

No. It looks like everyone's shifting over at least from this particular area. Seem to be moving towards the celebration.

[Thumbtack Representative]

Okay. We could either do a human ladder. One of us could climb. Probably me. Or we could use tools or magic to try to blast open the door. Or weaken it. Heat up the metal.

[Critical Role Player]

Couldn't even push it open, it's so big.

[Ashley Johnson]

Do you want to try to hop through?

[Critical Role Player]

The 16's a pretty decentralized.

[Matthew Mercer]

Can I help?

[Ashley Johnson]

And I can give you a hand to get up to my wings and put you up top to peek through the arrow window.

[Matthew Mercer]

Sure. You're fairly decent at leaping in the first arrow slit. You can grab onto easily if you want to try and use your leap. You could probably get to the top of this if you wanted to.

[Thumbtack Representative]

I'll do that.

[Matthew Mercer]

Does it mark a stress to do.

[Thumbtack Representative]

So or does it just to do the little leap? The Caprene leap. There is no cost.

[Matthew Mercer]

What does it say on the card?

[Thumbtack Representative]

It says you can leap anywhere within close range.

[Matthew Mercer]

Oh, within close range.

[Critical Role Player]

Can we give him a little?

[Matthew Mercer]

No, close range is pretty dang close. I'll tell you what. I'll tell you what. By yourself. If you wanted to make an agility roll, it'll be a fairly low difficulty. On this, a 10 is what you have to beat to make it to the top.

[Critical Role Player]

He's got this. We don't even have to spot him. We don't even have to catch him.

[Thumbtack Representative]

15 with Hope.

[Matthew Mercer]

Take that, hope. Great. Land on top of the. No, no. You get to the top and can see that there is this particular way. A crank wench that rises, that pulls it upward, which explains why you couldn't push it. Even though the design looks like it had a divide in the center, it looks like it was more of a decorative part to it. Tricksy.

[Critical Role Player]

So it was a lifty.

[Matthew Mercer]

It's lifty, yeah.

[Critical Role Player]

Okay, thank you.

[Thumbtack Representative]

So again, I could try to crank it.

[Matthew Mercer]

You could try, yeah. If you want to make a strength roll for it.

[Thumbtack Representative]

All right. Limbering up. I'm going to try. I'm going to try.

[Critical Role Player]

Summon the strength of the goat. The mountain goat.

[Thumbtack Representative]

Is that cocked? No, it's not. That would be a nine with fear.

[Matthew Mercer]

Nine with fear. Doesn't even budge.

[Critical Role Player]

A few little pellets.

[Thumbtack Representative]

It's broken.

[Matthew Mercer]

Do you still have your rope?

[Thumbtack Representative]

I do have my rope, yeah. I assume you recovered it.

[Matthew Mercer]

If you wanted to help the rest of the team climb up with you, you could just go over the wall and avoid the gate entirely.

[Critical Role Player]

Let's do that.

[Thumbtack Representative]

Oh, great. Come on up.

[Critical Role Player]

I'll do the same thing.

[Matthew Mercer]

I'll let you do that.

[Thumbtack Representative]

If.

[Matthew Mercer]

If you all mark a stress to go through the process of climbing up over and try and be mindful of those that are maybe still wandering through the nearby streets.

[Ashley Johnson]

Yes, I'm down.

[Matthew Mercer]

Or you could roll for it. Choice is yours.

[Critical Role Player]

What would the roll be for?

[Thumbtack Representative]

Stress is a lot of cost.

[Matthew Mercer]

It is. It would be each of you making a group roll of agility for all of you to climb up. Actually, no.

[Critical Role Player]

This would be rope.

[Matthew Mercer]

This would be strength. But this would be you helping them up. So you would all be helping him roll a strength roll.

[Critical Role Player]

Oh, not good.

[Thumbtack Representative]

Oh, I'm not good at that.

[Critical Role Player]

Or we all mark a stress.

[Matthew Mercer]

Yeah, maybe we should mark the stress.

[Critical Role Player]

It is second verse.

[Matthew Mercer]

You all mark a stress and clamber up one after another old school Batman style. Just up the side of the wall until you get to the very, very top of it. And there immediately you see at the edge of this northern part of Amber reach the expanse of the aurumweald in front of you. Climbing up to the base of the topper. The topmost sections of the idol hollows mountains. You also see just beyond where you stand, a beautiful rising observatory. Like fantastical domed Tower of jade and silver blanketed in ivy. Cool. At a quick glance location wise and the explanation and visuals you've been given from those before you left, this seems like it's likely the Astra foundry and a sign that you are not far from your destination in this journey. It's just that length of forest and the barrow left.

[Ashley Johnson]

We're so close. We're so close.

[Critical Role Player]

So close. Honestly, I never thought I would see this much of the world.

[Ashley Johnson]

Mainly.

[Critical Role Player]

I bet we're days ahead of Ghost Hook.

[Ashley Johnson]

Yeah, I bet we are. Yeah. If so he's alive and if we.

[Critical Role Player]

I hope so.

[Thumbtack Representative]

He's pretty cool. Are we going around the Astro foundry or through it?

[Critical Role Player]

Yeah. They said to go like it's our marker, but to go around it.

[Thumbtack Representative]

Okay. Probably has lots of knowledge in it though.

[Ashley Johnson]

I am going to sort of just very quietly just ruffle my feathers just a little. So a little hum sort of comes out and everybody gets a rally die.

[Thumbtack Representative]

Yes.

[Ashley Johnson]

D6. To spend on an action roll, reaction roll, damage roll or to clear a number of stress.

[Thumbtack Representative]

Feel so inspired.

[Critical Role Player]

I'm gonna clear some stress immediately.

[Matthew Mercer]

Okay. Go for it.

[Critical Role Player]

Six.

[Matthew Mercer]

Stress. Beautiful.

[Critical Role Player]

Good.

[Ashley Johnson]

Yeah. To clear a number of stress equal to the result.

[Critical Role Player]

It's honestly clutch when you use it to clear your stress.

[Ashley Johnson]

Yeah, it is.

[Critical Role Player]

Because you get very great. It's almost the way to go.

[Ashley Johnson]

That is almost the way to go.

[Critical Role Player]

All right.

[Thumbtack Representative]

Yeah.

[Matthew Mercer]

Here we go. You clamber down on the opposite side of the gate and immediately are met by the exterior of the Ornweald. The forest has expanded and grown wild and just completely consumed this whole portion of the mountainside valley. Before the rock overtakes it and the growing spires in the distance, you look at the map that you were given. You look at where the perimeter wall is, the position of the Astro foundry and the direction of the Barrow. Which one of you is navigating you through this forest?

[Critical Role Player]

I haven't navigated in a while.

[Thumbtack Representative]

Yeah. I don't know. I don't know this area.

[Critical Role Player]

I'll do it.

[Matthew Mercer]

You've never been here? Yeah. This is awful. All right. I would like for you to make an instinct roll.

[Critical Role Player]

Instinct roll. Can I add reading between the lines for this?

[Matthew Mercer]

How would that apply?

[Critical Role Player]

Looking for details in the micro instead of the macro. Areas of least resistance as we move forward.

[Matthew Mercer]

I dig it. Yeah. I spend a hope and add that bonus like in between the trees and.

[Critical Role Player]

It'S a which roll.

[Matthew Mercer]

This is going to be an instinct instinct.

[Critical Role Player]

9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14. With hopesies.

[Matthew Mercer]

All right. So you go ahead and take the hope. Awesome.

[Ashley Johnson]

Wait, don't you roll a. Oh, no, that's your experience.

[Matthew Mercer]

Yeah, it was just request. Okay.

[Critical Role Player]

And if I failed, did I succeed?

[Matthew Mercer]

Huh? We'll find out. Sure.

[Critical Role Player]

If you fail a roll to utilize one of your experiences, you can mark a stress to reroll.

[Matthew Mercer]

Ah. I will let you know. That was a failure.

[Critical Role Player]

Okay. I will mark a stress to reroll.

[Matthew Mercer]

Let's go.

[Critical Role Player]

Oh, it was a failure.

[Matthew Mercer]

It was, mind you, way better.

[Critical Role Player]

Mind you. You said.

[Matthew Mercer]

I said you don't get to hope if you reroll unless it's hope again.

[Critical Role Player]

Right. I'll take the hope out. It's with fear this time. But it is 17.

[Matthew Mercer]

Okay. But it is with fear. Good to know. All right. Pushing onward. Confidence in idol's eyes.

[Critical Role Player]

We failed again, didn't we?

[Matthew Mercer]

You charge into the wooded space before you.

[Critical Role Player]

Hard to know.

[Matthew Mercer]

And indeed it is dark and it is dense. You can hear the sound of unchecked world wilds creaking and chirping in the distance, the dark shadow of the overhanging canopies and the ever twisting and tangling branches and boughs themselves like hundreds of bark covered arms grasping each other's forearms, fingers twisting and nodding between them, forming a network almost climbable of terrifying treehouse bonds. From tree to tree, the vines hang densely. The pines begin to overtake the other localized valley wooded trees the further in you go, and what was once the tangled canopy becomes now open patches of dense pine tree. The ground itself is soft beneath steps until the occasional crunch hits. You look down expecting to see leaves, but every now and then you see a flash of dull white yellowed bone. You see the remnants of some struggle or some massive march into the wood in the past in which many soldiers fell. And you see the occasional tarnished shield, the occasional skull half consumed, subsumed into a tree, poking through the knots themselves, almost seeming to form eyes or faces. You're pretty sure you're following the right path for as long as you can, and you trek on for a number of hours through the wood and you stop, drink some water, have a snack, and you reassess the direction you have to continue traveling, as it is a lengthy piece of slow moving forest to traverse. Thankfully, you've got caught no attention of any darker denizens. Directly though you do hear the distant growl at one point. You hear the smashing and cracking of nearby wood and the lament of some sort of prey creature crying out with a dying honk before it falls silent. You hear the sound of wet tearing as some mass predator feasts on what it caught. But not you. But here, as you take a moment to take stock who is helming the navigation on the next leg of this journey?

[Critical Role Player]

I'll try it.

Confidence.

Yeah.

Bravado.

[Matthew Mercer]

Go ahead and roll an instinct roll for me, please.

[Critical Role Player]

Instinct.

Is it at night or.

[Matthew Mercer]

No, it's still day.

[Critical Role Player]

Okay.

[Matthew Mercer]

Though it's a little later in the day.

[Thumbtack Representative]

Think you need some help there?

[Critical Role Player]

Well, I'm thinking, like, do I use any experiences?

[Matthew Mercer]

I don't know. Do you have any that would apply? Not really.

[Thumbtack Representative]

I can try to help.

[Critical Role Player]

Use my experience. Where's the joke?

[Matthew Mercer]

Still making. I think you shouldn't.

[Critical Role Player]

Okay. No, I'm just gonna raw dog it.

[Matthew Mercer]

Let's go. Let's go see what happens. Hell yeah. I love it. Oh, wow.

[Critical Role Player]

It's almost a crit, but it's not. But it is very good. It's gonna be 23 with fear.

Okay, take it.

[Matthew Mercer]

Okay.

[Critical Role Player]

Yeah, take it. 11 into 12. Yes.

[Ashley Johnson]

So much fear.

[Critical Role Player]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Ashley Johnson]

All of it.

[Matthew Mercer]

I'm going to spend a fear that I just came. As you confidently point in the direction where you're traveling. You follow Brixton as you step another 20 minutes and the dense shadows grow darker and darker still. The temperature drops. The mists and flowers, fog begin to roll in. And it grows denser. And you feel something touch your leg. You look down and there's nothing there. But your leg feels cold. Your ankle spreads to your knee. It's like a wave of chill just washes over your body. I need you to make a presence reaction roll for me.

[Critical Role Player]

Presence reaction roll.

[Thumbtack Representative]

PRR.

[Critical Role Player]

Okay, that's going to be. I have minus one in my presence. So that's going to be a 12 with hope.

[Matthew Mercer]

Reaction roll doesn't give you anything.

[Critical Role Player]

Can you add prayer dice to reaction rolls?

[Matthew Mercer]

What does it say?

[Critical Role Player]

It says you can use the spent die's value to reduce incoming damage. Add to a rolls result after the roll is made or game Hope equals.

[Matthew Mercer]

Does the rolls result?

[Critical Role Player]

So you were at 12. I'll burn it at 3 to get it up to 15 just in case.

Okay.

[Ashley Johnson]

All right.

[Critical Role Player]

Thank you.

[Matthew Mercer]

15 is a success.

[Critical Role Player]

Oh, seraph shit.

[Matthew Mercer]

A glimmer of divine providence from the attention that you seek and push towards her, inspecting her body. You feel that cold sensation burn away.

[Critical Role Player]

I go elseben weenie.

[Thumbtack Representative]

Is that how you pray?

[Matthew Mercer]

You hear an angry creaking in the wood. Like the very landscape itself is unhappy with being thwarted its will being struck from punishing interlopers and unwelcome wanderers make A presence roll.

[Critical Role Player]

Oh, no.

[Matthew Mercer]

As you've caught the eye of the wood.

[Critical Role Player]

19 minus 118 with hopesies.

[Matthew Mercer]

All right. You resist the secondary influence of the wood. I'm going to burn two more fear. As you continue forward, as you are leading them forward, I would like the rest of you, you to make instinct reaction rolls. Instinct reaction rolls.

[Critical Role Player]

All of you, including.

14. It's a reaction.

[Matthew Mercer]

Yeah. 14. 14.

[Critical Role Player]

15.

[Matthew Mercer]

12.

[Ashley Johnson]

19.

[Critical Role Player]

You got 15.

[Matthew Mercer]

12. Idol snicks as you're walking and looking around, it takes a few moments before you realize you're lost in thought. Looking past the treeline and the two of you turn back and realize that you're no longer walking alongside Misty and Brixton. The two of you look around and your troops has somehow wandered in different directions.

[Critical Role Player]

Snix.

[Thumbtack Representative]

Yeah.

[Critical Role Player]

Where'd you take us?

[Thumbtack Representative]

I took us. I was following you.

[Critical Role Player]

No, no, no. This is. This is your thing. You're the messenger.

[Thumbtack Representative]

Yeah, but you were in the front, so I was.

[Critical Role Player]

No time to argue.

[Thumbtack Representative]

Let's just agree that you're wrong.

[Critical Role Player]

We have to find the others.

[Matthew Mercer]

All right.

[Thumbtack Representative]

All right. We can find them. It's okay.

[Ashley Johnson]

Where are they? We need to tie ourselves together.

[Critical Role Player]

Oh, yes.

[Ashley Johnson]

Well, I mean, idols are where we find that. Oh, that's true. Hello.

[Matthew Mercer]

Hello.

[Critical Role Player]

How long have they not been with us? I don't know. I thought they were just here.

[Ashley Johnson]

They were. Right.

[Critical Role Player]

I think.

[Ashley Johnson]

How long have we been in here?

[Critical Role Player]

I don't know.

[Matthew Mercer]

Both of you.

[Critical Role Player]

Why do I feel like I'm on fire?

[Matthew Mercer]

Feeling lost from the navigation. Both of you. Marcus, dress.

[Critical Role Player]

Okay. All right. Okay.

[Matthew Mercer]

I will spend a fear as you've now separated through the confusing paths and then eventually reconvene after an hour or so of wandering in circles.

[Critical Role Player]

Where'd you guys go?

[Matthew Mercer]

Reconnecting.

[Critical Role Player]

We've been walking. We thought you were right behind us.

No, look.

[Ashley Johnson]

Should we tie ourselves together?

[Critical Role Player]

What? Does that seem necessary?

[Matthew Mercer]

No.

[Critical Role Player]

Well, I don't know. You just got lost.

[Thumbtack Representative]

You got lost?

[Critical Role Player]

Yeah, we were forging ahead.

[Thumbtack Representative]

You've got a.

[Critical Role Player]

I thought I was leading.

[Ashley Johnson]

I thought you were too.

[Critical Role Player]

This might explain confusion.

[Thumbtack Representative]

He was leading.

[Critical Role Player]

He was leading.

[Ashley Johnson]

No, you were leading.

[Critical Role Player]

This is like one of those trust exercises where you're supposed to.

[Matthew Mercer]

I've spent a fear to take an action on my end.

[Ashley Johnson]

Oh, no.

[Matthew Mercer]

For traversing the lost paths. Since you've wandered a bit. Scattered, lost and reconvened here in the middle of the wood. The wood doesn't want you to leave. This is now a four count consequence.

[Critical Role Player]

The wood doesn't Whistle.

[Matthew Mercer]

So as you continue forward, you have to get out of the wood before that counts to zero. Oh, my God. Or something will find you.

[Critical Role Player]

No big.

[Thumbtack Representative]

No problem.

[Ashley Johnson]

No, we're gonna be out.

[Critical Role Player]

Okay.

[Thumbtack Representative]

There's four of us.

[Ashley Johnson]

We have four chances of fog. I'm freaking myself out.

[Critical Role Player]

So how are you?

And it's just been. It's just been flashes of bones. There's no corpses or anything like what.

[Matthew Mercer]

Were corpses a long time ago have been pulled apart and reconstituted into the decay on the base of the floor. Forest floor.

[Critical Role Player]

No getting hit from the beyond. The graves.

[Matthew Mercer]

I mean, if you want to search for an intact corpse enough to talk to, you could totally try that.

[Thumbtack Representative]

It's almost like the soil itself is against us. As if Ashley Johnson herself said it was. Said that it was going to.

[Ashley Johnson]

I know. I could have been like, it's the most beautiful, easygoing. It's Candyland. Yeah, this is basically it.

[Critical Role Player]

Fucking lost my licorice. What did I say about it?

[Thumbtack Representative]

Okay, there are plants. Are there any critters in the wood?

[Matthew Mercer]

You hear them shifting by, but your movement causes some of them to scatter and scurry. There are creatures that wander? Yes.

[Thumbtack Representative]

Can I look around for a creature? Just sort of scan the woods.

[Matthew Mercer]

Okay. I'll say. Being a ranger and being one who has traversed much of the valleys here of the domain, you look around for a moment and you can see there is some puffed up looking, dark furred, raccoon like creature up in this tree hollow above that. You just see its two eyes barely shine with a little bit of light as you glance over.

[Critical Role Player]

What are you looking at?

[Thumbtack Representative]

Okay, I'm going to quietly walk over toward it and call up to it and cast Nature's Tongue.

[Matthew Mercer]

Okay, well, first. No. Yeah. Nature's tongue will act as you trying to quell its fear to run or defend itself.

[Thumbtack Representative]

I rolled a 13.

[Matthew Mercer]

Now, this is a spellcast roll, correct? Yes, it is.

[Thumbtack Representative]

I would say instinct roll.

[Matthew Mercer]

Well, no, hold on. Oh, sorry. But before we do that, as you are in the Orymweald, this place is affected by twisted aetherweave.

[Thumbtack Representative]

Oh, no.

[Matthew Mercer]

When you make a spell cast roll, you must roll two fear dice and take the higher result. Whoa, whoa.

[Critical Role Player]

Two fear dice.

[Matthew Mercer]

Wait. Oh, oh.

[Ashley Johnson]

So they're just both.

[Thumbtack Representative]

So one hope, two fear.

[Matthew Mercer]

And take the higher of the two fear.

[Thumbtack Representative]

Wow, that means this is probably gonna work.

[Matthew Mercer]

It'll probably be with fear. Gotcha. Okay.

[Critical Role Player]

All you gotta do is roll 12 on hope and something sub zero on the others.

[Thumbtack Representative]

Okay. It's a crit Come on.

[Matthew Mercer]

On the higher one. Both. It is a crit and that's a crit.

[Critical Role Player]

Really?

[Ashley Johnson]

That's funny.

[Thumbtack Representative]

Two nines on the higher.

[Matthew Mercer]

Yeah. That's great. Fantastic. That's a perfect response to this.

[Critical Role Player]

Ability's like.

[Thumbtack Representative]

God damn it.

[Matthew Mercer]

That's great. I mean this is your domain. The magic of nature. So. Yeah. So clear. Stress. Take a hope and you cast the spell without challenge.

[Thumbtack Representative]

All right. Nature's tongue allows me to speak the language of the night. So I will call up to this raccoon creature. Excuse me.

[Matthew Mercer]

Hi.

[Thumbtack Representative]

Hi there. Hi. Wandering through the woods here. We're a little lost. Could you help us get pointed towards the. He doesn't know what the astro foundry is.

[Ashley Johnson]

The round green.

[Thumbtack Representative]

Big round green.

[Matthew Mercer]

The barrow.

[Thumbtack Representative]

You mean the barrow.

[Matthew Mercer]

Oh. Oh.

[Thumbtack Representative]

We're past the foundry.

[Critical Role Player]

We're into the water.

[Thumbtack Representative]

Cerbero. Tinoy. What the barrow is.

[Matthew Mercer]

Shoot.

[Thumbtack Representative]

How do I explain what this is? The barrow. Have you.

[Critical Role Player]

Barrow of blind repose.

[Matthew Mercer]

I have no idea what that is there. Oh my goodness. I've not been near something like that ever. I just stay around. Got a family back in there. Ever seen a blessed Bite your balls off?

[Thumbtack Representative]

Did you just say you're going to bite my balls off?

[Matthew Mercer]

Get too close, I'll bite your balls off.

[Thumbtack Representative]

A language. There's a translation issue. What about.

[Matthew Mercer]

Don'T talk too loud or cough too loud. I'll bite your balls off. Don't scare my tits. Don't scare my tits.

[Thumbtack Representative]

I thought you said don't scare my tits.

[Matthew Mercer]

Don't do that either. I'll bite your balls. Why?

[Thumbtack Representative]

Do you eat balls?

[Critical Role Player]

No.

[Matthew Mercer]

But you like yours. Don't you? I do and I'll bite them off.

[Thumbtack Representative]

What about a building that has a golden glow? Seen one of those around here? A tomb where humans.

[Matthew Mercer]

Aye aye aye. There's a golden glow structure that way. Rising walls on the side. Golden glow from within. Hi.

[Thumbtack Representative]

I think that's the place.

[Matthew Mercer]

Yeah.

[Critical Role Player]

That's very encouraging.

Can I trust this abomination?

[Thumbtack Representative]

Can we trust you?

[Matthew Mercer]

Have I put your balls off yet?

[Thumbtack Representative]

Not yet.

[Matthew Mercer]

That seems pretty trustworthy. You can make an instinct roll if you want to see if you can trust this raccoon creature. Okay.

[Thumbtack Representative]

Can I trust?

[Critical Role Player]

I would use my slyborn traits. But it's a raccoon.

[Ashley Johnson]

Maybe. He sounds like a garbage.

[Thumbtack Representative]

Ate with fear.

[Matthew Mercer]

That's a failure with fear. Which ticks this down three to one.

[Thumbtack Representative]

But you pointed me in the right direction. I think I'm gonna trust you. Thank you for not biting my balls off.

[Matthew Mercer]

Thank you for not Doing anything that made me.

[Thumbtack Representative]

Okay. Have a good day. What was your name, by the way?

[Matthew Mercer]

Kinash.

[Thumbtack Representative]

That's a cool name.

[Critical Role Player]

That's a cool name.

[Matthew Mercer]

Eater of bones to you, at least. Will you be. Keep down there. Okay, we have a direction. Let's go. Backs up into the kids and you hear like inside it's like smaller raccoon children that bundled up inside and blocked it and says, shh, shh. Good day.

[Critical Role Player]

Love him.

[Ashley Johnson]

Should I come with us? I love him.

[Thumbtack Representative]

Okay, let's go. Yeah, we proceed.

[Matthew Mercer]

Stay close. All right. Proceed in that direction. I'm lost again. Continuing forward, the woods remain dense with small bits of broken sparseness. The further north along this forest you go, the more the mountainous rock terrain makes it slightly more and more challenging for larger vegetation to take root. What you do notice is that the dirt beneath and the forest underbrush has patches of dark brown, sometimes almost black. Root, like the curse of the wood, is physically manifest in places. As you continue northward, eventually you see a spark of golden flame flickering.

[Critical Role Player]

They talked about this.

[Matthew Mercer]

It looks like a ruin of some kind that sits within the center of this forest. You see the walls and pillars that would rise up sections for windows, like a small temple was once built here, but has since fallen and crumbled to where just the outer walls and the frames of where the glass once sat stand. Thick brown and gray vines and heavy dead roots are affixed to the stone and tangle all through and across it. Moss and greenery has grown. And that little flicker of gold sits in looks like a pile of fallen tree parts.

[Thumbtack Representative]

Wait, I.

[Matthew Mercer]

Don'T like.

[Critical Role Player]

Seems too open.

[Matthew Mercer]

Simple.

[Critical Role Player]

Can I sense if I extend my senses, can I sense any sort of abjuration or illusion or something ahead of us?

[Matthew Mercer]

Yeah. Go make an instinct roll for me to see if you can sense within the space here any connection to this glowing spark of gold light 17 with hope. 17 with the 12 on the hope dial. All right, so take a hope.

[Critical Role Player]

Thank you.

[Matthew Mercer]

You close your eyes briefly and you feel a flicker of natural power. Something that is not just present, but is connected deeply to this land, to this forest. There is a seed, a marker that this little golden spark represents that is like a sprawling network of roots connected to this chunk of natural region. But it is sick. It is blackened with dark, twisted aether weave and will from much that plagues the domain. I'm going to spend a fear to complete the clock. As you watch as the roots around this light begin to tear free and you watch as it shifts, some of the ruin are chunks of old armor that clink like the roots rise up into them. Peering out the top of an old metal breastplate with runes carved along rises up 10, 15ft. A massive bipedal approximation of some sort of natural guardian or warrior seems to rise up. These ancient wailed plates seem to be affixed to its makeshift bark covered, stretched body, headless except for the roots that reach and constantly shift like they're trying to find something to root into. And within the center of it you see that little golden spark, a flicker of health and ancient power that is clouded and held away, sick with dark shadow magic. I'll be right back.

[Critical Role Player]

The fucking trees are wearing armor.

I'm telling for years everyone thought Verizon had the best network because they did. But now the best mobile network in the US is T Mobile. T Mobile's network has the most advanced 5G with more towers and their signal reaches further than ever. So you can text and insta talk and say, you won't believe where I am.

[T-Mobile Representative]

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[Alltrails Representative]

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[Prolon Representative]

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[Critical Role Player]

Hey there critters. This year marks our 10 year anniversary of critical role and we are partnering with Fathom Entertainment to bring our 2025 tour to movie the across the US and Canada. Head to theater to see our game Daggerheart, played in Exandria for the first time ever on August 5th. And of course, we've got the Wedding of the Year coming to theaters on October 15th with an iconic Jester and Ford wedding. Visit fathomentertainment.com criticalrole to find tickets in theaters near you. That's fathomentertainment.com CriticalRole Guys, are we getting double enough?

Are we here?

[Thumbtack Representative]

This might be the final boss. I think it is.

[Matthew Mercer]

Oh, shit.

[Critical Role Player]

This can't be it though.

[Thumbtack Representative]

This is something.

[Matthew Mercer]

Okay. You are all.

[Critical Role Player]

Dang. This is dope.

[Matthew Mercer]

Settled around this approach, looking off into the distance as you had stepped up to make a connection with this golden glow.

[Critical Role Player]

Yeah. Yeah.

Oh, you bitch.

[Matthew Mercer]

Oh my God. Don't.

[Critical Role Player]

Don't.

[Matthew Mercer]

As this Thane warden, this guardian spirit of the world rises up twitching black wafts of shadow magic spilling from within and through its roots. It reaches off to something that is embedded in the nearby stone and draws forth a 12 foot long blade of dark metal. Red runes glow across it as it holds it to the side.

[Ashley Johnson]

Oh, we're so close.

[Critical Role Player]

I don't think this is it. This cannot be the sword.

[Matthew Mercer]

No, this is.

[Ashley Johnson]

No, this is not it.

[Thumbtack Representative]

Look at that bad boy.

[Critical Role Player]

Straight up. Guardian. Look at the size of that sword. Oh, even get close, dude.

He looks so sick though.

Oh, my God.

[Matthew Mercer]

Oh, my God. What do you wish to do? Let's.

[Critical Role Player]

Let's try talking for once. Yeah, like maybe like we can earn his favor.

[Thumbtack Representative]

Sure.

[Critical Role Player]

Legit.

Yeah.

[Thumbtack Representative]

Although if he's made of armor. I don't speak.

[Critical Role Player]

I don't know.

[Thumbtack Representative]

Sure, let's try.

[Critical Role Player]

You got me a bunch of presents, right?

[Matthew Mercer]

No.

[Critical Role Player]

Who does?

[Ashley Johnson]

I do. What am I gonna say?

[Thumbtack Representative]

You're a statue. He's a statue.

[Critical Role Player]

Guardian. We're worthy of the branch.

[Thumbtack Representative]

That was made of metal. You're made of. Maybe you guys can date.

[Critical Role Player]

Yeah, you're. Maybe you're one of the earth.

Sing him a song.

All right.

[Ashley Johnson]

So I will cast you're singing telegram. I will, I will, I will. Hold on. Let me just make sure I want to do this. I'm just going to talk to him. I don't need to cast anything.

[Critical Role Player]

Yeah.

[Ashley Johnson]

All right. I am going to walk up somewhat close. Not a little, like not quite 12ft.

[Critical Role Player]

Yeah, you're good right there.

[Matthew Mercer]

You're good right. There you go.

[Critical Role Player]

Let me just like be near her within. Very close.

Yeah, yeah. You guys go together. Idol will also fan out over this way. Well, like we'll Take this rise.

[Matthew Mercer]

Okay.

[Thumbtack Representative]

I'm going to fan out the other way.

[Matthew Mercer]

You got it.

[Ashley Johnson]

I am going to take a knee.

[Critical Role Player]

Nice, nice, nice.

[Matthew Mercer]

Yeah.

[Ashley Johnson]

I'm submitting. Are you the guardian of the blessed branch?

[Matthew Mercer]

The creaking of wood against wood and the shifting of like a thousand tree branches scraping in the middle of a midnight wind responds.

[Thumbtack Representative]

Maybe give him a notepad to write down his answers.

[Critical Role Player]

Sure.

[Ashley Johnson]

You do not have enough.

[Critical Role Player]

Wait, he doesn't respond.

[Thumbtack Representative]

Break. Oh, break one branch for yes. Two branches for no.

[Ashley Johnson]

Sure. Break one branch.

[Critical Role Player]

That's not real suggestion.

[Thumbtack Representative]

It can work.

[Matthew Mercer]

It can work.

[Ashley Johnson]

We came here for the blessed branch. Our town, the pyre has died. It has been extinguished. And we have made a very long journey. Many of our members have died. Please, we are worthy of the branch.

[Matthew Mercer]

It raises its hand up. You watch as the slightly shifting roots that peer from within its breastplate seem to cloud and gather that little spark of glowing divine nature light and clutch and pull it deeper into the darkness within. All right, so as it's offhand going to spend the fear is going to vine spear towards you. It releases its hand and vines rocket out towards you up to within far range.

[Thumbtack Representative]

Dang.

[Matthew Mercer]

Across the way. I need you to make a strength reaction roll for me.

[Ashley Johnson]

All right? So strength.

[Critical Role Player]

Okay.

[Ashley Johnson]

All right. Minus one. That's a 17. So 16 with fear.

[Matthew Mercer]

16 with fear. Well, I mean, it's a reaction roll. So that does succeed. The vine goes towards you and strikes you. It's trying to pierce your chest and grab you. It catches your arm and as it tries to blow yank you away, you resist and pull from the vine as you back this horrid sucking sound from within. You see that golden flame flicker and then die in the shadow. Once more. It has relentless. I'm going to spend another fear to activate is going to leaping slash towards you with another fear. It is going to burn it out.

[Critical Role Player]

That's right.

[Matthew Mercer]

Yeah, yeah.

[Ashley Johnson]

Burning it up. Burning it out.

[Matthew Mercer]

No, you know what? Actually, it's going. It should. I'm not going to spend that secondary fear. It's just going to go ahead and move close range from where it is. It stalks outward.

[Critical Role Player]

We got to get out of there.

[Matthew Mercer]

To there.

[Thumbtack Representative]

Oh, man, he left the door open. We can just go in behind it.

[Matthew Mercer]

Yes.

[Ashley Johnson]

Go around.

[Critical Role Player]

Actually grab it.

But we need what's inside.

[Ashley Johnson]

You need what's inside. Never mind. Yeah, I think it's. We need that gold thing.

[Critical Role Player]

Gold thing.

[Ashley Johnson]

I think that's a branch.

[Critical Role Player]

We were saying we deserve the blessed branch and he like covered up.

Did it look Branch shaped.

[Matthew Mercer]

If you would like to take an action to inspect that on your turn, you can definitely do that. But that's all he does is move forward. That's his turn.

[Critical Role Player]

All right, talking's over. Idol's gonna run. Actually. First I'm gonna fire off a bolt beacon and then I'm gonna take cover behind this rock a little bit. So I'll make a spell casting roll.

[Matthew Mercer]

All right. Roll 2 fear and take the higher.

[Critical Role Player]

Oh, that's right. Okay. That's not too fear.

Bless.

Okay. That is 23 with fear.

[Matthew Mercer]

23 with fear succeeds. Go ahead and roll. Damage.

[Critical Role Player]

This blessed branch was in the tomb.

Of the Heretic Saint Evelar 2D8. Okay.

He was laid to rest with it to try and keep the soul bound.

5, 8.

So is this creature.

[Matthew Mercer]

10.

[Critical Role Player]

Points of magic damage.

[Matthew Mercer]

10 points of magic damage.

[Critical Role Player]

And glowing brightly.

[Matthew Mercer]

A single hit point is taken as it now glows up from within, which causes the spark to glow even further. And you see the shadow is now trying to swallow it inside of the it. You still have that tether to that little golden spark and it feels sickly like it's being strangled or diseased. It's hard to say. But you felt that weird connection to it in the land and it feels like it's dying at the end of that. It is my go. Because you rolled with fear. It's going to immediately activate. Step forward to there. It's going to make a.

[Ashley Johnson]

What's the. What is.

[Matthew Mercer]

Oh, you know what?

[Critical Role Player]

It was with hope. I'm so sorry. It was a 6 and an 8 and the other one was an 11. So it was actually a roll with hope. I rolled with hope.

[Matthew Mercer]

Okay.

[Critical Role Player]

I got it wrong. I just thought it was no worries.

[Matthew Mercer]

So I did not gain that fear.

[Critical Role Player]

I'm so sorry.

[Matthew Mercer]

But I will spend a fear to activate him anyway. Out of turn, since I'm audience points. Step forward. He's going to go ahead and then spend another fear to use overwhelming arc to make an attack against every creature within very close range.

[Thumbtack Representative]

Oh boy.

[Matthew Mercer]

That's a lot of us. All three of you. @ this point. It steps forward, takes its blade up with both hands and strikes through a carving through the trees. And the three of you as this tree. Oh.

[Critical Role Player]

Get better view.

[Ashley Johnson]

Yeah, that's true.

[Critical Role Player]

You can see better.

That's awesome, dude.

[Matthew Mercer]

It just slices through the middle of the forest and the three of you for a 15 to hit.

[Critical Role Player]

Hits, hits, hits.

[Matthew Mercer]

That is going to be whatever you.

[Critical Role Player]

Do, don't bunch them.

[Matthew Mercer]

22 points of physical damage to all three of you. I need you all to make strength reach. So do your damage first. 22 points of physical damage.

[Thumbtack Representative]

Mark a armor same.

[Ashley Johnson]

God dammit.

[Critical Role Player]

I think I am going to go ahead and go unstoppable.

Unstoppable.

So I can reduce the severity of my damage down one threshold. And then I'll just use an armor to soak that and then string three Action roll you said?

[Matthew Mercer]

Yeah. Seven. Oh, sorry. What's reaction? That's okay. We're still learning the final system. 11. 11.

[Thumbtack Representative]

7.

[Matthew Mercer]

7. So carves through the trees. Carves through all three of you. And you all get knocked back to far range from the sheer strength of the sweeping blow. You get knocked knocked back to the very very wow edge. We'll say you're there.

[Critical Role Player]

I'm on the edge.

[Matthew Mercer]

Knock back and you get knocked back into this tree.

[Thumbtack Representative]

We got away.

[Critical Role Player]

Yeah.

You adding your plus one.

[Matthew Mercer]

And that's going to from your scar. That's going to finish my spotlight. It's now back to you.

[Thumbtack Representative]

Okay. To protect myself, I'm going to conjure a swarm of beetles.

[Matthew Mercer]

If you wanted to make a knowledge roll at all to shrine and figure that out too. You can have that.

[Critical Role Player]

Okay.

[Matthew Mercer]

So you're going to be.

[Thumbtack Representative]

I don't even have to roll a spell roll. It just happens. I just mark a stress and it happens. I now have beetles around me. I will move up up flanking him if I can. Yeah, you can get there and let's keep him there. So I'll cast vicious entangle on the young lad.

[Matthew Mercer]

All righty. So go ahead and roll two fear dice.

[Thumbtack Representative]

Two fear dice. Right. Okay. Oh, and because I have nature's tongue while in a natural environment you. You can spend a hope to gain a plus two bonus to the roll.

[Matthew Mercer]

You can do that? Yeah, I will.

[Thumbtack Representative]

So plus two to this. Okay. 18W ver.

[Matthew Mercer]

That's a success.

[Critical Role Player]

Okay.

Getting rich again.

[Thumbtack Representative]

Okay. And that deals 1d8 plus 1 physical damage. And I can spend another hope to have him restrained temporarily.

[Matthew Mercer]

Yes, you can.

[Thumbtack Representative]

Not much damage, but I'll take it.

[Matthew Mercer]

All right.

[Thumbtack Representative]

Seven points of damage.

[Ashley Johnson]

Nice.

[Matthew Mercer]

Okay. Seven points of damage. That is another hit point marked on him.

[Thumbtack Representative]

Shit.

[Matthew Mercer]

Fantastic.

[Thumbtack Representative]

You know what? I'm going to also mark a stress to. I'm sorry. Spend a hope to mark focus on him.

[Matthew Mercer]

Oh, got you. All right. So he is now marked as your ranger's focus. I'm going to put a. You are green on your base. I'm going to go ahead and put a green circle on him as your focused target.

[Thumbtack Representative]

Okay. He's Focused.

[Matthew Mercer]

All right. But you're not restraining him.

[Thumbtack Representative]

Yes, I'm restraining him.

[Matthew Mercer]

Oh, you're restraining him as well?

[Thumbtack Representative]

Yes.

[Matthew Mercer]

Okay.

[Critical Role Player]

Vicious indeed.

Oh, nice.

[Matthew Mercer]

And he is also restrained.

[Critical Role Player]

That's good. He's every.

[Matthew Mercer]

Wow.

[Critical Role Player]

Okay.

[Thumbtack Representative]

Although he. He'll probably break free pretty quickly.

[Ashley Johnson]

Well, he'll have to use his fear.

[Matthew Mercer]

Currency, which means it comes to me on his activation. He's going to mark a stress to take root. You watch as he stands there. The various roots and vines around the armor plates and where the legs are more or less the facsimile of a bipedal guardian. Roots shoot out of them and shoot in into the ground, binding it in place. And you watch as its body seems to harden and defensibly position itself unmoving, leaning into its currently ensnared scenario. I will then spend a fear as part of its relentless passive. To activate it again, spend another fear to vine spear you. I need you to make a strength reaction. Wolf form.

[Critical Role Player]

Not the goat.

[Ashley Johnson]

Did you use your rally die yet?

[Matthew Mercer]

No, I don't think it'll help.

[Thumbtack Representative]

Three.

[Ashley Johnson]

Oh, never mind.

[Thumbtack Representative]

That's the lowest roll she's getting. Dagger, harder.

[Matthew Mercer]

Spear hits your chest and all the vines wrap around your body. And you all watch as snakes all of a sudden gets yanked from far range. Snakes into very close and right as you're pulled in the air. The blade is waiting for you. Gets to attack you for free as you rush to the air. That's going to be a 14 to hit. That hits, the blade comes at you for 20 points of physical damage.

[Critical Role Player]

Woof.

[Thumbtack Representative]

I'll burn an armor kebab. And the beetles knock down one hit point for me. So I only take one hit point from that attack.

[Matthew Mercer]

That's great. The beetles remain.

[Thumbtack Representative]

They do if I spend a hope to keep them up, which I will.

[Matthew Mercer]

Okay, so you watch as Snix is thrust through the air, pulled by this vine and then almost impaled on this ruined blade. He manages to dodge to the side and it scrapes past and gashes the underarm and part of the armpit as you tumble off and hit the ground. Get back on your feet. Shrug it off. The beetles taking the majority of the blow. That finishes my spotlight. That little glow flicker and it trying to fight for freedom as the shadow keeps it tucked in.

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[Matthew Mercer]

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[Critical Role Player]

Yeah, I'll go ahead. Since I'm far away, there's not much I can do right now anyway.

[Matthew Mercer]

Do you want to move or let.

[Critical Role Player]

Me move and kind of once again get up front in front of Misty? As far as I can go.

[Matthew Mercer]

That's about close range distance there.

[Critical Role Player]

And then I will try and suss out and do a knowledge roll. Is this the tomb of the heretic Saint Evolar? Is this Evolar himself? Is this or her right? Was Avelar.

[Matthew Mercer]

Avelar was a her.

[Critical Role Player]

Was a female Aveliar. Is this just the guardian? What is happening? Is that the branch? Is it corrupt? What's going on?

[Matthew Mercer]

Make a knowledge roll for me, please.

[Critical Role Player]

Can I? I'm going to spin a hope to use historically inspired.

[Matthew Mercer]

Oh wow.

[Critical Role Player]

That is a secret.

[Ashley Johnson]

Eyes and face were removed.

[Critical Role Player]

So this could be. Yeah. And there's a blind. But blind but vision of the gods. Her smile gave a golden glow but her face gave salvation. Had a following but the grand ordinance didn't like it. She was executed and laid to rest with a blessed branch to keep her soul bound. That's what I wrote down.

Maybe we just have to rejoin the body with the head.

[Matthew Mercer]

Oh.

[Thumbtack Representative]

Or this is just a key to get into the tomb.

[Critical Role Player]

Or just a key to get into the tomb. Anyway, I really want to succeed on this, so I'm actually going to use your rally die.

[Ashley Johnson]

Right.

[Critical Role Player]

I think now is the time plus one. Come on. Oh, wait. What am I doing? That's a D20. What is happening?

[Matthew Mercer]

All right. Come on.

[Critical Role Player]

Old habits do get.

[Matthew Mercer]

No.

[Ashley Johnson]

Did you get a 69?

[Matthew Mercer]

I got a 69 again.

[Critical Role Player]

It's so fakey. It fakes me out. Okay, nice. Okay, so that's going to be. Okay, so that's going to be 9, 8, 18, 19 plus 2. What did I say? 18, 19, 20, 21. With hope.

[Matthew Mercer]

With hope. That's great. Take that hope. Looking at this space here, recalling what you've heard. The barrow or the the purpose of a barrow is it's usually a burial mound or buried within a hill or mountain of some kind. Okay, this looks like it is a temple or a shrine to the natural fane of this land. Thanes are the natural magic hearts of a region of natural power. What stands before you is no saint that was set into a tomb. This is a warden of this fame long corrupted and the spark of its connection to the land is dying. Being siphoned and eaten away by the shadows that now animate it. With a higher than 20 roll. I'll say you can sunder this beast or you may try to redeem it. Redeem it.

[Critical Role Player]

That's cool.

[Ashley Johnson]

Redeem it.

[Matthew Mercer]

Redeem it. Anyone else? It's still.

[Critical Role Player]

Were you saying thane like a thane?

[Matthew Mercer]

Thane.

[Critical Role Player]

Thane.

[Matthew Mercer]

A fane.

[Critical Role Player]

Fane Warden.

[Ashley Johnson]

Okay.

[Matthew Mercer]

F A N E. Is the fane here?

[Critical Role Player]

F A N E. Yeah. Gamut Fane Warden. So this is not our saint. This is not the blessed branch. But he's just mad.

[Matthew Mercer]

You asked a raccoon to send you to a structure with a golden glow. And it did. Hey, you know what?

[Critical Role Player]

He is eating our balls.

[Matthew Mercer]

We can heal the land.

[Ashley Johnson]

While we're here.

[Critical Role Player]

We can heal the land. How do we redeem him? How do we redeem him?

[Thumbtack Representative]

I have an idea of our goodness. I have an idea.

[Critical Role Player]

Get in there.

[Ashley Johnson]

Get in there. Get in there.

[Critical Role Player]

Well, you have you have you got slammed into a tree.

[Ashley Johnson]

Well, I. I talked to him.

[Critical Role Player]

Okay.

[Ashley Johnson]

Yeah.

[Critical Role Player]

Go.

[Matthew Mercer]

Go.

[Critical Role Player]

I will hurdle up over the rock and try and close as much distance as I can.

[Matthew Mercer]

If you want to roll an agility roll to close the distance, you can go the far range and get up.

[Critical Role Player]

To it with double fear dice, right?

[Matthew Mercer]

No, that's only with spell rolls.

[Critical Role Player]

Okay. All I have is spell rolls.

[Matthew Mercer]

So if you want to make the roll roll an agility.

[Critical Role Player]

Do that. Great. 17. 17 with fear.

[Matthew Mercer]

17 with fear. So you do suc and rush up to its side. Right. As you get to seems to recognize the sound of your footfalls and on its activation is going to. It's not going to move. It doesn't need to. I know. It's going to go ahead and swing towards you with its blade and attempt to slam down. That's going to be a 13 big blade chasing me.

[Critical Role Player]

Hits.

[Matthew Mercer]

13 hits. That is going to be be 14 points of physical damage against him.

[Critical Role Player]

Okay, okay. Okay.

[Matthew Mercer]

A heavy bladed crack from its rune blade.

[Critical Role Player]

You're making it worse.

Ouch. Ouch. Okay.

[Matthew Mercer]

And that's my activation. I'm going to save my fear for itself.

[Critical Role Player]

I'll take the hit and I'll immediately just come back and I'm going to try and I'm going to try and pump in a sparing touch. So I'm literally gonna grab onto the nearest and I'm just gonna try and grab on it and pump in a bunch of divine healing energy into this corruption trying to seek out the shadow.

[Matthew Mercer]

Okay. What does it heal?

[Critical Role Player]

It heals two hit points or two stress from them.

[Matthew Mercer]

Which are you trying to do?

[Critical Role Player]

Stress.

[Matthew Mercer]

Okay. So as you reach out and grab these roots Summoning whatever strange divine gift has dragged you through life, brought you to this odd moment here, facing a nightmarish, twisted beast of times, likely even before the old world. As you let that energy pulse through, the roots glow. And you watches the shadow holding the glimmer withdraw, and it grows brighter. So the glimmer within, passive, stressed out. So the countdown, the progress countdown, which started at 4, now becomes 2. The corruption of the Fane warden has been half removed.

[Alltrails Representative]

Okay.

[Matthew Mercer]

But that was no that where I did the fear. That was automatically happens. So you can keep going. What are y' all doing?

[Ashley Johnson]

All right. I have an idea.

[Critical Role Player]

Okay.

[Ashley Johnson]

It's in the same kind of line.

[Thumbtack Representative]

Stress.

[Ashley Johnson]

Oh, that can reduce stress.

[Matthew Mercer]

I have one more.

[Ashley Johnson]

Hang on.

[Critical Role Player]

Anything that'll help heal him or redeem him or your bard, make them feel good.

[Ashley Johnson]

I have an idea. Okay.

[Critical Role Player]

Yeah.

[Ashley Johnson]

I am going to reach into my memories and try to remember the most ancient song of worship that I can think of.

[Critical Role Player]

That's cool.

[Ashley Johnson]

And I am going to play you use Heartbreak Song, which will give all of my allies, and I want to also give it to them a hope.

[Matthew Mercer]

Okay.

[Critical Role Player]

Yeah.

[Matthew Mercer]

So that's fun. You don't have to roll for this. It's just an ability you use.

[Ashley Johnson]

This is focus. Free prisons. Yes.

[Matthew Mercer]

Right. For your subclass. So do you want to step forward as you do it or you want to stay towards the back?

[Ashley Johnson]

I'll step forward.

[Matthew Mercer]

Okay. So you move back from the tree and staying near, just slowly walking forward.

[Ashley Johnson]

And as the wind. Yeah. Staying next to brush.

[Matthew Mercer]

Now, in this moment, you try and lean into not your spiritual memory, but the physical memory of the vessel that you now call yours. Describe to me the themes of this hymn that you pull from. Oh.

[Critical Role Player]

Druid shit.

[Matthew Mercer]

Yeah.

[Ashley Johnson]

Oh, good call. Yes. It's a lot about. Yeah. Of the earth, of nature, how beautiful nature can be, and how it's. It provides life and it can nurture, and it provides shelter and protection for many creatures, and it is a home for many and also provides peace for so many.

[Matthew Mercer]

You tap into this ancient hymn before the grand ordinance deemed it unworthy of the veiled God. God's temples. For it extolled the nature that pre existed there. Scripture. But your stone has been around a long time. And as these words come to you and come through your mind and the music that they inspire begins to spill out from your wings, it seems to cause the golden glow to burn ever so brighter from within the Fane light. Okay, okay, okay, okay, okay. We're doing it. We're doing it.

[Ashley Johnson]

We're doing it, Peter.

[Critical Role Player]

We're doing it.

[Matthew Mercer]

Okay. Okay. It's still your spotlight.

[Critical Role Player]

I have one. Unless you've got a thing that reduced strength.

[Thumbtack Representative]

I'm just gonna throw a stamina potion at it. But you take.

[Ashley Johnson]

Oh, that's right.

[Critical Role Player]

Does it have a mouth to take it?

[Thumbtack Representative]

I was gonna try to hit the thing.

[Matthew Mercer]

I'm gonna burn a fear.

[Thumbtack Representative]

Ah.

[Matthew Mercer]

Got you. And activate it. Pause.

[Critical Role Player]

We waited too long.

[Matthew Mercer]

Yep. I'm going to go ahead and I'm going to burn secondary fear. Wow. To do an overwhelming arc since two of you Confused. No, it's rooted. It's rooted itself into the ground. So it's just going to take an overwhelming arc and swing at both of you to its sides. Okay.

[Thumbtack Representative]

At disadvantage because it's restrained.

[Matthew Mercer]

No, restrained just keeps it from moving.

[Critical Role Player]

Okay.

[Matthew Mercer]

Good looking out. So with that, an attack roll that's only a natural five, which brings it to an eight.

[Critical Role Player]

Yes.

[Thumbtack Representative]

We die.

[Matthew Mercer]

Both of you. It's almost like the more you begin to reach out to heal this spirit, its movement, which was with extreme malice and intense dark speed, begins to grow sluggish. And as its roots begin to tear free from the ground in places and the golden glow within its armor get brighter, it telegraphs its sweeping blade. Strike just enough. The two of you duck behind as it passes overhead and strikes into the back stone. Digging about six or seven inches into the stone and it's trying to pull it free. It's back to your spotlight.

[Critical Role Player]

I'll seize on that opportunity seeing it flexed back. And I'll drop my bone hooked glaive and I'll reach my hands into its chest through the armor and the vines and stuff as deep as I can. I'll close my eyes and think back to the visions and just try and focus on that divine light. And I'll use a second level healing hands spell, which is a spell casting roll to try and pump two hit points in if it succeeds.

[Matthew Mercer]

Let's go ahead and roll.

[Critical Role Player]

And this has to be with two fear dice.

[Matthew Mercer]

Correct. Taking the higher of the two.

[Thumbtack Representative]

Come on, holy man.

[Critical Role Player]

Come on, come on, come on. Anybody got any hope for.

[Thumbtack Representative]

I don't know.

[Ashley Johnson]

Maybe I can spend a hope to help you.

[Thumbtack Representative]

I'm right there. So I can spend a hope to try to distract him so he won't try to block.

[Matthew Mercer]

Sure.

[Critical Role Player]

Oh, that's going to do.

[Thumbtack Representative]

I'll have my beetles swarm around his.

[Matthew Mercer]

Face and try to distract him getting tangled into its roots. You go ahead and mark off that hope.

[Critical Role Player]

And the higher fear die. I will take it. Is 15, 19, 20, 21, 22. With fear, that is a success.

[Matthew Mercer]

So you. You pump how many hit points into it?

[Critical Role Player]

2 stress are removed on a success.

[Matthew Mercer]

How do you want to heal this?

[Critical Role Player]

I reach in and I say break free from the shadows that bind you. Remember that you are the oldest and strongest powers of nature.

[Matthew Mercer]

As the golden energy leaves your grip, you watch as it begins to not just travel through the roots and bark, but spread throughout the darkened, blackened exterior. From between, the armor begins to spread into a golden hue. And as it sifts through the metal and up through the top, you watch as the golden spark blossoms and grows until all of the wood and bark becomes a beautiful moss covered green. It reaches in of front, wedges its blade free into the ground, tears its roots from the ground. It shifts and looks in your direction in that burning golden light that still floats between the center of its. What would be its neck that is open. The roots now curl in and almost cradle it. You feel this warmth of gratitude not from this entity, but from the entire surrounding forest. It steps back into the middle of the temple, leaving its blade there stuck in the ground. Its roots reach out, piercing and surrounding the stone. And you watch as the metal creaks and bends and the corrupted Fane warden, corrupted no more, instead becomes a massive growing tree that spreads in the center of this ruin, its leaves healthy and green. And you all gain to hope.

[Ashley Johnson]

The forest is healing.

[Critical Role Player]

I got chills.

[Ashley Johnson]

Me too.

[Thumbtack Representative]

That was amazing, Idol.

[Matthew Mercer]

You.

[Thumbtack Representative]

You're a real priest.

[Critical Role Player]

You truly are the divine reach of the Old Ones.

I don't understand it, but you have such power.

And end you. Misty was the most beautiful song.

Where did that come from?

[Matthew Mercer]

I don't know.

[Ashley Johnson]

I just. I knew what this vessel's purpose was and I just went searching. Wow.

[Matthew Mercer]

The sound of birds chirping returns to the nearby forest. The natural beings, too scared to express their song in the presence of such darkness, have a moment to reprieve and thank you in the ways that they know you. The only one who can truly hear the sounds of nature can make out the sharing of the heart of the breathing land. Not just here, but across the domain, struggling to fight back the umbral darkness that has been swallowing and winning for so long. And in this moment, you've done your part in beating a little bit of it back. You watch as the trees shift and it's wild. You've never really watched a forest move intentionally like this. As trees bend in part to show a path, a straight path beelining to the base of the Idol Hollow Peaks.

[Critical Role Player]

It's just as your prophecy.

[Ashley Johnson]

The land does move and shift.

[Matthew Mercer]

Yeah.

[Critical Role Player]

It's granting his passage.

[Thumbtack Representative]

It's so weird not being the one who killed the thing.

[Critical Role Player]

I didn't either though.

[Thumbtack Representative]

That's true.

[Critical Role Player]

Yeah.

[Thumbtack Representative]

So I guess you're still the best.

[Ashley Johnson]

I'm still the ultimate killer.

[Critical Role Player]

We should go though. Before the land changes its mind.

[Matthew Mercer]

Yeah, sure, sure, sure.

[Critical Role Player]

Do you still hear that raccoon being like, I'll still eat your balls, yo.

[Matthew Mercer]

Fuck.

[Thumbtack Representative]

Gonna get those balls.

[Matthew Mercer]

Go.

[Ashley Johnson]

As we sort of start walking and walking through, I just wanna just trace the trees. Just give them a light little touch as we walk through. As a thank you.

[Matthew Mercer]

You can still sense with your fingers as you move. The work isn't done. This fane. This one section of the forest has been given a healthy breath and a better chance towards holding its line than its hat in quite some time. But in the odd subconscious transference of energy ways that fleshy beings and the natural plant life can communicate, you feel that appreciation carrying your sore joints with you. You trek on the open path. A few more hours of journey on foot. The rain begins to fall from a darkened storm above. The temperature drops, the mists thicken as the final peaks of the world's greenery fade. You look ahead and see some carved steps among some mostly forgotten stone. You see an archway hidden in the mountain shadow and a stone door that is deeply overgrown with dead root. If ever there was a location to match your expectation of the Barrow of Blind Repose, the resting place of the heretic saint executed and sent to be sealed by the grand ordinance for their blasphemous attempt to bring hope outside of scripture, this would be it. A chill passes over your body as you realize this is the end of your journey. Should there be a branch at all.

[Critical Role Player]

Could you imagine?

[Matthew Mercer]

But sometimes that's all you have to go on in this world is a little bit of hope. That has to be enough as you settle for a moment to prepare yourselves for what comes beyond. We'll finish the episode.

[Critical Role Player]

Oh, man.

[Matthew Mercer]

Hey.

[Critical Role Player]

Hey. We found what we were looking for.

[Matthew Mercer]

We did?

[Thumbtack Representative]

Yeah, we did.

[Matthew Mercer]

And we're all here.

[Critical Role Player]

We're all here.

[Matthew Mercer]

I'm sure.

[Critical Role Player]

We'Re not missing anybody. The repression.

[Matthew Mercer]

All right, we'll pick up here next time for the final episode of Age of Umbra.

[Critical Role Player]

A good cooldown.

[Matthew Mercer]

I think so. Thank you so much for joining us. We love you very much. And Is it Thursday? And we finished up this episode. Thanks for coming along on this wild journey with us. If you like the adventure, consider leaving a review on your podcast platform of choice. We're always looking for new critters to share our stories with, and your review may help a new batch of wayward adventurers discover the show. See you next time.