Flight to Castle Torch | Critical Role | Campaign 4, Episode 15 Part 1

Summary

Critical Role Campaign 4, Episode 15 Part 1: “Flight to Castle Torch”

Release Date: February 19, 2026
Summary by: Podcast Summarizer AI

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Episode Overview

This episode of Critical Role, led by Brennan Lee Mulligan, immerses listeners directly into the wavering aftermath of a harrowing escape and sets the stage for the party’s desperate “flight” to Castle Torch. Characters confront the trauma of war, reckon with deep family wounds, and embark on a perilous aerial journey across the kingdom’s fractured, storm-ridden landscape—driven by visions, newfound magical protections, and a hope for answers.

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Table of Contents

• Opening Theme: War-Torn Origins (01:19)
• After the Hachfallenbrucke: Recapping the Conflict (21:01)
• At the Summit: The Druid’s Eyrie & Party Prep (28:11)
• Flight on Altraddler: Escape and Pursuit (47:14)
• Storms, Spirits, and Protection (52:10)
• Midnight Reflections: Rest, Grieving, and Hope (63:05)
• Trance, Memories, and Attunement (71:07)
• Magic Explained: The Walker’s Ward (84:15)
• Key Quotes & Moments

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War-Torn Origins (01:19)

Key Points:

• The episode opens with Brennan offering rich narrative imagery: a famine-stricken town, a mercenary captain evaluating desperate youths for conscription, and a family sacrificing their last reserves for a glimmer of hope.
• Azune and his sister Maialy are forced to prove themselves in a brutal test of strength and endurance, highlighting the theme of survival amid scarcity.

Notable Quotes:

“Those of you who have been gathered here have heard of us, the gallows choir. … I see waifs, hungry mouths—nothing worth speaking of amongst those gathered here.”
— Brennan Lee Mulligan, [02:00]

“Mama, what if I don’t want to go? What if I want to stay?”
— Azune (Character), [13:50]

“Anytime you want, you can come back here to this day and remember how proud your father and I were. We’ll be there with you. No matter where you go.”
— Brennan as Azune’s mother, [14:13]

Timestamp Highlights

• [04:14] First descriptions and introductions of family dynamics and physical hardship
• [09:07] Azune completes the trial, collapses from exhaustion; Maialy defends his efforts to the captain
• [15:45] Bittersweet family parting; foreshadowing loss

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After the Hachfallenbrucke: Recapping the Conflict (21:01)

Key Points:

• The protagonists regroup after a dramatic battle and deadly encounters.
• Humor and camaraderie arise even in exhaustion: the players riff on fantasy name pronunciations, NPCs (“Enmity, Cruelty, and Agony”), and mishaps in preparation for flight.

Notable Quotes:

“There were three people that had a worse combat than Vaelys. And it was Enmity, Cruelty, and Agony who realized they should not be in this combat, in this city or in this arc.”
— Brennan Lee Mulligan, [24:43]

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At the Summit: The Druid’s Eyrie & Party Prep (28:11)

Key Points:

• The party ascends to a mountain eyrie: home to giant eagles and kept by Druidic circles.
• Amida, the druidic caretaker, welcomes them, offers magically disguised items ("Walker’s Ward" amulet, a mysterious smoking chest, scrolls, charms) for their protection.
• A brief, tense comic exchange about trust and demon imposters punctuates the stakes.

Notable Quotes:

“This is Altraddler. This is eagle.”
— Amida, introducing the giant eagle, [35:00]

“I'm going to ask you for a roll again. But you're exhausted, so you're going to roll straight.”
— Brennan to Azune (flashback), [10:34]

Noteworthy Mechanics:

• Speak With Animals is used for direct negotiation with Altraddler, the elderly eagle ([36:16–37:17]).
• The party is loaded with protective enchantments, foreshadowing supernatural threats to come.

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Flight on Altraddler: Escape and Pursuit (47:14)

Key Points:

• The party departs the eyrie on the back of Altraddler in a sky-carriage, urgent and anxious they’ll be seen.
• Tensions run high: failed stealth roll, anxious banter about "big bird at night" and family pursuit, and tactical use of magical boons.
• The city lights fade beneath as the eagle rises into the starry night, causing a mix of fear and awe.

Notable Quotes:

“Flap without trace!”
— Player F (Tysha), joking about lacking stealth magic, [48:44]

“I feel like it's so obvious that we're leaving in a giant eagle…”
— Player G, [48:53]

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Storms, Spirits, and Protection (52:10)

Key Points:

• Supernatural threat manifests: the party is pursued through storm-darkened skies by ominous spirits and spectral shapes.
• Druidic allies (Amida and Hanon—the latter in hawk form) intervene with powerful magic, countering the pursuit so the party escapes.
• Tysha mistakenly attacks Hanon, then comically apologizes upon realizing the error ([55:50–56:07]).

Notable Quotes:

“They're coming after you—he wheels away. Stop it. I was joking.”
— Hanon (as Hawk), [56:09]

“Maybe faster.”
— Tysha to Altraddler, as the pursuit intensifies, [57:56]

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Midnight Reflections: Rest, Grieving, and Hope (63:05)

Key Points:

• Within the sky carriage, rain-drenched and finally safe, the group wraps themselves in blankets and canvas to rest and recover.
• Personal conversations thread through exhaustion:
  • Julian grieves his brother’s death—estrangement, guilt, and loss.
  • Octys and Vaelys discuss family rejection, magical heredity, and trauma.
  • A gentle moment between Vaelys and Octys explores hope, acceptance of danger, and the nature of belonging.

Notable Quotes:

“Hey, Octys. I fucking hate your family.”
— Tysha (Player F), exasperated, [60:47]

“Why do you think they wanted to kill you?”
— Player G to Octys, [66:15]

“I welcome it. … I guess this is hope, and I don’t know how long. So I need to chase this until I figure out what it is.”
— Player G (Vaelys), [69:08]

Timestamped emotional intimacy unfolds from [64:32–70:57].

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Trance, Memories, and Attunement (71:07)

Key Points:

• Vaelys guides Octys in the art of meditative trance, sharing elven memory techniques (“just try to shut out the noise around me”).
• Vaelys’ trance sequence becomes a vividly recounted memory among old trees, with siblings and a unicorn—poignant, comedic, and heartwarming.
• Octys, meanwhile, begins the magical process to “attune” to his new amulet.

Notable Quotes:

“It’s like being pee shy.”
— Group, joking about meditating under observation, [73:11]

“If there was a prize for faith alone, you’d win it.”
— Arthas (Vaelys’s brother, memory), [78:26]

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Magic Explained: The Walker’s Ward (84:15)

Key Points:

• Octys uncovers the powers of the Walker’s Ward: an ancient amulet that foils detection, mind-reading, and many scrying magics.
• The party gains perspective on the necessity for secrecy for druids in Ahriman’s hostile world.

Notable Quotes:

“He sees this web that is a lock ... it is a way for me to trap unwanted attention within a net and to keep it there and distract it from seeing me.”
— Player I (Octys), [85:23]

Magic item mechanics and implications for stealth and magic defense are made explicit.

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Key Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Parental Sacrifice:
  “And you gave us your food.”
  “We know.”
  — Azune & Mother, [13:47]

• On Rejection and Belonging:
  “I'm an embarrassment to the power that they have. ... I wasn't born with [magic]. I'm not special.”
  — Octys, [66:20]

• On Found Family & Hope:
  “I know. But I want to be. ... I welcome it. But I need to finish some things first. I... I haven't felt—I guess this is hope, and I don't know how long.”
  — Vaelys, [68:41, 69:08]

• On Laughter in Danger:
  “Flap without trace!” ... “Big bird at night.”
  — Party riffing, [48:44–50:01]

• On Magic’s Subtlety:
  “This thing will work best at protecting you from broad nets. … It is a deterrent.”
  — Octys, [86:27]

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Section Timestamps for Listening

| Segment | Start | Highlights | |---------------------------------------|-----------|----------------------| | Family flashback—Azune’s test | 01:19 | Emotional origin | | Battle recap/comic banter | 21:01 | Tone balance | | Druid eyrie & magic preparation | 28:11 | New gear, allies | | Departure and sky carriage flight | 47:14 | Stealth challenge, awe| | Pursuit, druidic magic clash | 52:10 | Adrenaline, rescue | | Rest, reflections, character drama | 63:05 | Grief, kin, hope | | Meditation & memory flashback | 71:07 | Trance technique | | Walker’s Ward & magic exposition | 84:15 | Item lore/mechanics |

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Tone & Style

The players and DM blend intense drama—grief, deprivation, complex family histories—with levity, affectionate ribbing, and heartwarming confessions. The tone is rooted in immersive character work and lush narrative detail, with flashes of improvisational wit.

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Next Time…

The party’s immediate fate, the mysterious chest’s contents (“What’s in the box?”), and further trek toward Castle Torch will continue in Part 2, dropping Tuesday.

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Transcript

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

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[Adobe Acrobat Announcer]

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[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

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[Nyquil Announcer]

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[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

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. Start your seven day free trial today at Beacon tv. Now, without further ado, let's begin this episode of Critical Role. A town square of a town partially burnt. Not enough dwelling places for all the people who inhabit it. A man in chipped red painted breastplate, patchwork armor, a multiplicity of weapons. He's got a long spear on his back, a battle axe and a hand axe at his side. A long sword on the other side of his belt, walking to and fro. He's got an injury in the front of his face that cuts through the lip into the gum. Several teeth missing on his upper jaw. Human man, ring of white hair, is older but shouldn't have survived this long. Those of you who have been gathered here have heard of us, the gallows choir. We are preeminent mercenary company. We have been told to come here looking for young soldiers. I see waifs, hungry mouths, nothing worth speaking of amongst those gathered here. Luis, can you describe Azune and the people that are with him? Yeah.

[Azune (Character)]

Azune is, in this moment, 12 years

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

old and

[Azune (Character)]

small for his age, short for his age. His hair is tied back in a braid and he is standing still stiff, trying to puff up his chest to make himself look thicker and stronger. With him is his family and his people. His parents are there, and his sister Mayale stands next to him, almost in the same stiff posture, a year older than he is.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Your mother and father behind you as you stand at attention, each squeeze your shoulder and their hands are so weak. Your father, a proud man, has become a little bit jaundiced. Your mother, you can tell that her gums are almost receding a little bit. They look on death's door. They haven't eaten in probably two weeks. Your father looks and says, it's going to be all right. He says it in different words, though. In a language that means something. You step up first and you see that this mercenary captain calls up your sister. I would like you to roll an athletics check for her with advantage.

[Azune (Character)]

That is a 16 on the die.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

16 on the die. She steps forward. All right, you are going to wear this. He puts a sort of loose tunic of chainmail on her. Thump. You see that? He hands a short sword to her. You're going to run across this field. You are going to leap over the fallen logs there. You retrieve one of the pendants that we have placed inside that building. You run back here. You go back again for a second, then a third. You understand? She nods, takes off running. You look over and see the other kids in the village here, whose parents look healthier than yours and who they. The children look much less strong than you. And Myale. Racing through getting the third pennant. The captain says, good, okay, you next. Your mother says, you can do it. Go ahead and give me athletics with advantage.

[Azune (Character)]

Okay, AN 8 On the die. If I add my ability modifier, It'd be a plus four to it. But I'm 12 years old.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Girls mature a little faster than boys. On a 12, you get the penance, just not nearly as fast, running across the length of the town square in chainmail. By the time you've gotten the first pennant, your legs are burning, your lungs are burning, you're in Pain. The man is barking orders at you. Your mother looks in your eyes as you come back. She says, it's okay, keep going.

[Azune (Character)]

I lock eyes with her and I. I see her standing amongst these mercenaries. And that is when it hits me. How underfed they looked compared to these people that have come to meet us here. And how thick and strong they look in comparison. I was never able to make that contrast until this moment. But I know what they've done to give us this chance.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

And I

[Azune (Character)]

feel my body keep moving with a surge, even though I stay looking at my mother for a little while as I try to complete this task that these mercenaries are putting us through.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

You complete the task on a 12. You manage to get that third pennant and collapse in a heap by the time you do. Your mother rushes over to help pick you up. The test continues with the other kids. Most of them cannot complete it. Collapse before they are able to. And what's worse, I think you can tell, burn some deeply needed energy in trying to do so and will end this day with precious little food, starved and exhausted by the effort they have shown to. The captain speaks to your mother and father and some other parents saying, it's a waste of our time. We'll take the girl and go. Grabs the girl and you see. Maialy turns around and says, no. My brother reaching out for you and you see, he says he was a wreck by the time he got the third pennant. You see that? She looks up and says, but he got it. He got it.

[Azune (Character)]

That's right, I got it. I could do better. That wasn't my best. I could do better than that.

[Nyquil Announcer]

Yeah.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

You wanna try right now?

[Azune (Character)]

I'll do whatever it takes. I'll try it again. I'll do it again. And I start to set up and start to get myself ready to do it again.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

You see that? Your father says, sir, please. He. The guard pushes him aside and says, go do it. I'm going to ask you for a roll again. But you're exhausted, so you're going to roll straight.

[Azune (Character)]

Okay, That's a nine on the die.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Nine on the die. Running back. You are destroyed. In the years that followed in this war, you never felt as physically exhausted as you did this day. Other mercenaries would look at your willingness to perform dangerous missions, menial tasks. Stay up late securing something, lifting cargo. It never hurt as much as this day. Hurt as you complete it. The captain looks over. Take the boy. If your muscles ever get as thick as your head, and he jabs a fat finger into the side of your Head. Maybe we have a soldier to work with, huh? Your mother collapses, weeping on the ground. Your father holds her well. Say goodbye. You see, that soldier turns. And as you turn, myale grabs you and kisses your cheek. And she walks over to your parents. And you look and realize your mother is weeping with relief. I walk.

[Azune (Character)]

I know. I know what this day's about. I stand in front of my mother, who's weeping. And I grab my sister's hand

[Nyquil Announcer]

and

[Azune (Character)]

I just squeeze it as tight because I don't know what to say.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

She looks up at you and smiles and. And kisses you on each cheek. And holds you for a long, long time. Behind you, you can hear the captain of that guard speaking. The girl. She has potential. The boy, I don't know. We take him. We train him. Maybe we pawn him off on the banner. They'll take anyone. You see. Your mother looks at you and says, you're going to be fed and you're going to be taken away from here. It will be very dangerous. But your father and I gave you the clothes that you needed. We gave you a chance. Because this world is dangerous whether you have a sword in your hand or not. And we wanted you to have a sword in your hand.

[Azune (Character)]

And you gave us your food.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

We know.

[Azune (Character)]

We saw. We knew what you were doing. Mama, what if I don't want to go? What if I want to stay with you? What if me and my auntie want to stay?

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Anytime you want, you can come back here to this day and remember how proud your father and I were. We'll be there with you. No matter where you go, no matter how far away we are.

[Azune (Character)]

I know. I know we're the lucky ones. And I know that it's on us to make this chance worth it for everyone. That's not gonna get the chance that we had.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Your father touches your shoulder. Proud of you, my Ali. Azune. I'm proud of you, my son. Wars end. And when they do, they provide some chance of a better life for people like us. There is no ladder up out of this for us other than through fire and storm. I wish it were some other way, but it is not. This is a chance for you and your sister to write your own fate. I'll come back for you. We both will.

[Azune (Character)]

You'll see.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

My Ali casts her eyes down. Azune, You tell your mother and father you will come back for them. Is this memory the last time you saw your mother and father? It is. It's the one that I play over and over again so that I forget them.

[Azune (Character)]

But I'm already forgetting parts of it.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Remember, remember. Eyes like sunset. A distant voice you have to remember keeps coming back. Memories can fade and change if not cared for. But the story continues as it will continue tonight on this episode of Critical Role.

[Critical Role Announcer]

Hello everyone and welcome back to the Critical Role Announcement Playhouse. A fantastic upgrade from our wondrous KO Here on set.

[Player F]

Thank youk Kay.

[Player G]

We're professional now.

[Critical Role Announcer]

We are now.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

We got there.

[Critical Role Announcer]

It only took 10 years. We also are showing off from Sideshow the Legends of Exandria metal posters. Yeah, we're excited to bring you brand new legends of Exandria metal posters from Sideshow and artist Alvaro Jimenez. Beautiful, beautiful art pieces that all fit together.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Amazing.

[Critical Role Announcer]

Each print is from a separate campaign so you can choose your favorite piece or collect all three to complete the

[Player G]

ultimate display on them like asmr.

[Insurance Announcer]

There you go.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

There you go.

[Critical Role Announcer]

See, it's a package. These aluminum editions are hand numbered and limited to only 100 pieces. Super limited. So once they are gone, they won't be made again. So grab yours now while you can at Sideshow.

[Player G]

You're not on camera, baby. You're not here enough to know because

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

I grabbed the art. Nice. Good job.

[Azune (Character)]

Done.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Done. Good job.

[Critical Role Announcer]

That concludes our announcements. So let's go ahead and jump back into.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Kick off the new year and new true show up for 2026 in stitch

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[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

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[Player G]

We're inseparable.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

And home dialysis with Fresenius kidney care helps us stay that way. Right, girl? Home dialysis helps me feel my best so I can be my best for her. Learn how to thrive with Fresenius kidney care home dialysis. Visit YourHomeDialysis.com to learn more. That's YourHomeDialysis.com Adobe Acrobat Studio, your new foundation.

[Adobe Acrobat Announcer]

Use PDF spaces to generate a presentation. Grab your docs, your permits, your moves, AI levels of your paper. Gets it in a groove. Choose a template with your timeless cool. Come on now, let's flex those two Draft design, deliver, make it sing. AI builds the deck so you can build that thing. Do that, do that, do that with Acrobat.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Learn [e-mail] do that with Acrobat.

[Nyquil Announcer]

When the flu is keeping you up at night, don't try to tough it out. Knock out your flu symptoms with Nyquil Intense flu. You got this. It provides powerful relief of your flu symptoms. So you can sleep well through the night. Nyquil Intense flu. The nighttime sniffling, aching, aching fever. Best sleep with a flu medicine. Use as directed. Keep out of reach of children.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

We return here to Riesengertl after epic combat on the Hachfallenbrucke.

[Player G]

So epic.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

So epic.

[Player F]

So say that bridge one more time.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

The Hocwellenbucher.

[Player I]

Lightning crashes horses whinny.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

He fought my boyfriend.

[Player I]

I love that movie so much.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Having journeyed east from from Dolmakyar in search of a vision of an orcish warrior standing in an ancient tomb. In search of answers for the fate of House Royce and House Divinos. In search of questions surrounding the slaughter at the Palazzo Divinos and the undead nature of Octus Tacona. The Stone of Nightsong answers to all these questions. Lying to the east, our adventurers found themselves in recent girdle. Momentary guests of House Einfausen and more recently, guests of the Druids of Seasons. Stone and Hunt on the High grotto of the Shon Garten. A tense exchange between Tysha Loy about the Circle of Ancients and her fellow Druids of the Old Path. Her success in representing her situation allowed for entreaty with the entire party where Hanon the Circle of the Hunt beheld Valis, faithful of the Sisters of Salandri. And before things came to blows, a NAT20 intimidation telling the elven druid to not resort to violence lest it be visited upon him was followed immediately by a NAT20 persuasion. At which point Amedha, the elder Druid of the Circle of Seasons said, this must be recognized as the opportunity it is. I would see your journey continue as clearly you have access to knowledge that I do not. And the mission that lies before you is one of deep significance. How may I help and offer to meet you at the Eyrie above the Shongarten, where you would be given passage flight by eagle to wherever you need travel. Traveling from the Schongarten. You were waylaid on the bridge by soldiers of House Taconis and Octys older brother Franz.

[Player G]

Oops.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Franz did not bedevil you for long. For indeed Sir Julian Davinos hurled him from the High bridge to meet his watery death. Sorry.

[Critical Role Announcer]

Not sorry.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Beneath the Falls. And the accent. Beneath the Falls as the rest of you tangled with incoming ballista bolts. Foiled by a quickly summoned fog from Taisha Loy as Vaylis left Combat.

[Player G]

Also Vaelis was there.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Also Vail. Also V was there.

[Player F]

Just like.

[Player G]

Just checking out the vibes.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Vibe? What's going on.

[Player F]

Well, you know, when you're that old,

[Player I]

combat goes by real fast.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Yeah.

[Player G]

It was the blink of an eye.

[Player I]

Didn't I? Didn't I? Yeah.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

To my elven senses that combat basically didn't happen. An event so small it could not be said to have occurred. I will say this for sure. There were three people that had a worse combat than Vaelys. And it was Enmity, cruelty and Agony who realized they should not be in this combat, in this city or in this ark.

[Nyquil Announcer]

I love them.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

As producer Kyle Shire said, bringing huge team rocket energy to the function. Absolutely truly. Oh my God.

[Player G]

I forgot my dice again.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Jesus.

[Player G]

Maybe this is why it went wrong. We need to start over.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Start over.

[Player F]

Back to one.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Wait. Back to one, everybody.

[Player F]

I like the instinct to be quiet until last week's match. Like you're not two feet away. Like everyone.

[Azune (Character)]

Just wait.

[Player G]

Just wait.

[Player I]

Hold.

[Player G]

I'm ready.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Rushing forward from the Hachvalenbucher, you hear distantly as your footfalls race up. Now outfitted in some Druidic garb, you had traveled the Dvalmar Pass in some of you the bloody clothes you were murdered in. I changed. Changed. You're in my bag. I changed. I changed the clothes from wherever the fuck we were.

[Critical Role Announcer]

Einfassen.

[Azune (Character)]

Einfassen.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Closet. You mean Castle Klippenbig. Classic. The Schnefenkeep in particular.

[Player F]

We said all the good words.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

We did it. We did it. We said all the good words. Oh, sorry. Kapelgarten. There you go. Great.

[Player I]

I like the couple dance.

[Azune (Character)]

Yes.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Okay.

[Player F]

Now I feel ready to said all the words.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

You can leave. I live here now. In the distance behind you, you hear some shouts elsewhere in the neighborhood surrounding some screams distantly. You even hear a spell being fired off behind you. You can only imagine where Petra and Raya have gone. But you certainly do not hear them following you. Although that doesn't tell you very much. Ascending the staircase, you arrive at an eyrie atop a craggy mountainside. The eyrie's nests are some 20ft wide in diameter. Many of them and you see in enormous birds of prey, giant eagles throughout. These eagles down below, many of them are some 14ft tall at the shoulder, towering above you. Turning to look, you see several of them here have small sheds with moss covered roof. On the sheds with small symbols and you see there are some carcasses of pig and cattle strewn throughout. There are some that even have chicks that are about your size.

[Player I]

It's kind of terrifying.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

It should be.

[Player G]

And scary.

[Player F]

5, 11 chicks what are we doing?

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Chicks? You. You look and see these eagles have white breasts with these small black dots of plumage and mottled beautiful gray plumage across their wings that looks almost like rain moving down a slate slope as it spreads their wings going up higher and higher. You see that in these small sheds there are enormous saddles. You see that some of the saddles appear to be little more than a leather harness. And you see that in the writing on some of these nests there is some Druidic writing. It appears that this is a stable kept by the druids of the circle of stone. Here the staircase ascends higher and higher as a voice calls from up above. You come hither up here and as you arrive at the top, a Druidic stone circle on the top of this summit that is partially removed from sort of recent girdle below and very much of sort of not in the Shawn Garten but connected to it there are massive Druidic stone plinths and there is a 40 foot wide wide nest here as you look and see a let's call it a 30 foot tall eagle with white plumage who turns to look sort of screeches out Tysha immediately. You can tell angry to be awake. Angry Angry bird. Amazon presents One vs Baby Drunk on milk and power. This bundle of sheer chaos only comes with three settings.

[Nyquil Announcer]

Crying, pooping and crying while pooping.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

But one shopped on Amazon and saved on pacifiers, diaper cream and a colossal bag of coffee beans. Hear that baby? Juan just rocked you to sleep.

[Nyquil Announcer]

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[Adobe Acrobat Announcer]

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[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Learn [e-mail] do that with Acrobat

[Lowe's Announcer]

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[Player G]

Subject to change Shipping, billing, admin, payroll, marketing. You're managing all the things, so why waste time sending important documents the old fashioned way. Mail and ship when you want, how you want. With stamps.com print postage on demand 24, 7 and schedule pickups from your office or home. Save up to 90% with automated rate shopping. That's why over 1 million small businesses trust Stamps.com. go to Stamps.com and use code podcast to try Stamps.com risk free for 60 days.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

The summit has this massive 40 foot wide nest, but a lot of other stone around it. You see there is a small armory section, like leaning up against something. You can see that there are sort of ammunitions, arrows. You see that there is this huge, for lack of a better word, it looks like a massive wooden carriage body. But you see that there is a wooden box that appears to have a set of benches within it and what looks like a massive collapsed canvas folded thing on one side, a long condensed blinds or a curtain or something. You see that this box, this carriage box rests on massive springs to four corners that almost are table legs that you can see. The carriage is suspended on springs from these four massive cornered legs of this sky carriage.

[Player G]

That's so cool.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Up above it you see this huge wrought iron goes up to a massive crossbar. And you see that the crossbar also appears to have two large lengths of leather wrapped chains that go up to these enormous hooks on either side. You see, standing by that carriage with some belongings in a knapsack under her arm is Amida, who turns to you and says, welcome. Are you all right? I heard some shouts down below.

[Critical Role Announcer]

I put my blade up to her face and say, demon, drop this facade.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

You've already been to this once. She looks and says, I understand, I believe it. She looks and says, what is the manner in which I might regain your trust that I am not a demon?

[Player I]

Julian.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

You tell me, you druid in. She speaks to you in Druid and says he doesn't understand Druid. How would he know that I'm speaking Druid unless you tell him?

[Player F]

Well, I count him on the lie to see what he'll do.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

He's holding a swordsman.

[Player F]

Yeah, but you're a bear.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Well, no, no, let me be clear. I'm not frightened.

[Player F]

I know. That's the best part. And then I look over at you like we've clearly been joking in this language.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Far be it.

[Critical Role Announcer]

Appreciate your candor.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Thanks. She looks and says, very well. This is Altradler. This is Eagle. Alteraddler is snowy white. This massive white Eagle that looks around, he has a little bit of plumage that darkens to a soft gray around the edge of the beak and around the socks of the leg plumage where it gets down to the talon,

[Player G]

he has socks.

[Player F]

Stay warm.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

They look like their little plumy. You look up and Amada says, I take it that none of you have that. The eagles below require skill and ridership to be able to use, so ultradler is probably the better option. She looks up and you see that Altruther has a big injury over one eye and it's a little bit weepy. He's not the best at night flying. Oh, no. And he's very old. He's so good.

[Player F]

Okay, I'm gonna cast. Speak with animals.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Oh, thank you. You can't speak with animals. What do you do?

[Player F]

Good evening. I'm so sorry for waking you up.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

I should be asleep. There is no sun.

[Player F]

I know. I'm so sorry. But thank you so much for doing this.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Doing what?

[Player F]

We're gonna go for a quick trip. Thank you.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

How far?

[Player F]

Oh, as the ewe flies. Couple hours. Oh, I think I could be wrong. I don't know how fast you go. Is there a treat you like? We can find you like a really, really big cow when we land.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Cow is good. I eat cow.

[Player I]

Okay.

[Player F]

If this one gets too mouthy, you have my permission.

[Azune (Character)]

Here.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

No.

[Player F]

Wake up.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Wake up.

[Player I]

Wake up.

[Player F]

What?

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

I don't think it's working.

[Lowe's Announcer]

So loud.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Yeah,

[Player F]

I just.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Stand up.

[Player F]

I love him.

[Player G]

Does it look like he's been hurt? Like that's just a fresh wound or it's something that's just the way.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

It doesn't look like a fresh wound. It looks like something that sadly healed naturally and not magically. And so it's a permanent injury. Not that greater magic couldn't do it. But it is not a matter of hit point damage. It is a matter of. He would need something more like regeneration. Or a deeper, more profound healing. Okay.

[Player I]

Okay. Where are we going? Where's our. I know where we're going to end up eventually. But where are we going now?

[Player F]

Yeah, I think we're just headed east.

[Critical Role Announcer]

Are we going to Gerwyn for this vision you have?

[Player I]

Yes. Sorry, I'm a little.

[Player F]

It's been a big day.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

I understand this, Gawain. For our own reasons as well. Julian.

[Nyquil Announcer]

Yes.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

You see that? Amada turns.

[Player G]

Are you feeling okay?

[Nyquil Announcer]

Me?

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

I'm fine.

[Critical Role Announcer]

I'm just a little. Still getting the wine out of my system.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Anyone who wants to give me a perception check,

[Player G]

just see what we're back, baby.

[Player F]

Okay, bird. Natural one.

[Azune (Character)]

Gotcha.

[Player G]

24.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

24.

[Player F]

There you go.

[Player I]

16.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

16. Adam roll. Yeah. Peliss. As alt raddler shrieks at Tysha again, you look out. There were some noises of shouting down below that have stopped after that last bird shriek.

[Player G]

We should go.

[Player I]

Yeah, we need.

[Player F]

Okay.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Amada looks to you for a second and says, oh, travelers. She hands you this small knapsack that you see has a book in it and a couple of scrolls and what looks like some sort of druidic charms in the bottom of this knapsack. She looks over and says, I brought as much as I could. She hands a small charm to you. This is on a piece of twine. It looks extremely humble and very old. It has four sort of twigs with an intricately woven series of colored dyed strings of yarn or fabric around it that make this very complex geometric pattern that written in the dots or instances of knitting through this woven charm hold a Druidic rune. You look to touching the wood. It's almost as light as air, this charm. But as you touch it, it's like it's incredibly. I'll say, go ahead and give me nature. Yeah.

[Player F]

No. 15.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

15. 15's high enough. 14. 14.

[Player F]

It's a 14.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

14's high enough.

[Player G]

Sorry.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

No, this is the opposite. This is the opposite of an air attack. This is a walker's ward. They're a very common type of magic item that has existed through the druidic tradition for a long time in Ahriman when it was not safe for druids to exist in the open. And it is a disguise against many types of magical detection. She hands it to you specifically. Octus.

[Player I]

Thank you.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Take these. I got as many charms and gifts and scrolls as I could. And you see that? She says, and this. And there's a small treasure chest made of this blood red wood that you see has two handles made of thick bound rope rooted to the chest in bronze that looks almost melted or welded there. And you can see that she says, don't touch the chest itself. And you can see that smoke is pouring up out of the cracks in the chest. Okay.

[Player F]

I'm assuming you've written down somewhere what that does.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Well, I thought I'd just explain. Oh, sure. She says, so it's an interesting story that the just looking by

[Critical Role Announcer]

is not the demon.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

I don't know, short version, Short ver the well. Oh, oh. And you see that she's just flustered and says, we'll figure it out. And she. You see, he just grabbed his Chest off the ground. It feels pleasantly heavy, but not as heavy as if it were flat. You think? It's not super dense, whatever's in here. But there is something smoking in this chest. And you see that? She looks around and says, all right. If you need to leave at once, that is probably.

[Player F]

Why does one of. How do we drive? Does someone have to drive it?

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Just tell Altrattler where to take you. He has flown these lands for some 40 years. He will know where to go.

[Player I]

My family is here, so we need to leave. My family is here.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Understood?

[Player F]

I give Amada a huge bear hug.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Huge hug. Whispering in your ear in Druidic. She with her massive paw pushes something into your hand. She says, the gifts are for your companions. This is for you and you alone. Please be careful.

[Player F]

Thank you.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

And she pushes a wooden ring into your hand. Great.

[Player F]

Palm it. Do my best to hide it. And then run over to Alt Randaller.

[Player I]

Quick explanation. If we open the chest, is it good for us or bad for us?

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Good. Good. It's an ammunition. Okay, Great. It's also a source of fire. Using it. She said, I don't particularly know.

[Player F]

I love her.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

I think you recognize that a lot of the stuff in here. You've been given a wealth of enchanted objects here, all of which would be not currently claimed by a Druid on an adventure. So a lot of the things in here are very common, but very useful that just on a glance you can take a look at them.

[Player F]

Go run up to the front.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Gyrwyn Aldheart looks at you and says, gawain. Gawain. Oh.

[Player I]

Oh.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

River city. Near the dark.

[Player F]

Yes, yes, yes.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

I don't want to fly to the dark.

[Player F]

No, we would never.

[Player I]

I don't know what I'm saying.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

You see?

[Player F]

Just close.

[Player I]

Thank you.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

He says you're scared. Are we in danger?

[Player F]

Only until we get going. Please. With less screaming. And I give him a kiss on the beak and then run.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

He puts his beak down and says, I will fly slow so I don't have to land in the dark.

[Player F]

Okay, bud. I'm just crying.

[Player I]

As we leave, I turn to Alma. Is that her name?

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Amida.

[Player I]

Amada. There it is.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Amida.

[Player I]

Just be two of my sisters are here. Be very careful.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Thank you. You must go.

[Player F]

Thank you.

[Critical Role Announcer]

Sorry about the demon thing.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

It's a hole.

[Player I]

Also, there's three demons possibly around.

[Player F]

I'm sorry about my grandma.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

She says, that's the one I'm most frightened of. You guys get into the sky carriage. You're sitting there. You look around you see that sort of in the footwell. This thing is also beautifully constructed. It is sturdy and massive. The seats are actually quite comfortable. They are cushioned and comfy. You see that there is an old, small, shallow crate under one of the benches that you can see has some humble, simple wool brown blankets in it. You see that there are also a number of very simple belt and harness leather belt and harness that have hooks that go into them and that you see the seats behind them have a couple of thick steel semicircles to be clipped into on this thing. Erinessa gets in and says, oh, all right. And you see that she's flown one of these before. So she gets in one, puts it on.

[Player F]

Yeah, we all know exactly how to do. I'm just trying to copy her while I'm not looking like I've never been in here before.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Okay, you see, this is clearly. You did not get invited to the Lord Einfassen's wedding when you were a child. Lagging much? All right, Mickey? And she Amedit stands. Altradler gets up and says, are you all ready?

[Player F]

We're good, thank you.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Puts one massive talon up on the huge. It's almost like a ship's mast. This bar over the. It's like a horizontal bar. Goes wings. Other thing up. All of you guys feel like someone is pushing the back of your head down just from the wind coming off the wings and starts to flap. And you guys feel the creaking of these massive springs. The coils of the springs are about a forearm's width of this steel coil. Going up. Up you go. The shocks of the carriage come with you. Vroom, vroom. As Eagle takes off. And very quickly the walls of the carriage box come up to your shoulders. But some of you are seated at the edge. So you just look and watch the world start to fall away from.

[Azune (Character)]

You.

[Player I]

See octys arm just dash out the side of the carriage and catch Pin as it's just flown out, having appeared again.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Stop doing that. Puts Pin on his lap. You guys begin to take off. Go ahead. If you would be so kind, we're going to ask. You guys are using a giant snowy white eagle to fly away.

[Player F]

Flap without trace.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Flap without trace.

[Player F]

I don't have a spell spot for pass without trace.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Oh, shit.

[Player F]

Yeah, we had a fight, Brennan. Did I take a nap?

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

I know. No, you did not.

[Player G]

I feel like it's so obvious that we're leaving in a giant eagle and your scissors are right out in the other side.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

I know. Go ahead. Scared. Me too. I am going to need a group stealth check. I'm going to need it with disadvantage.

[Player F]

I disagree. It's probably fine.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Horrible. Okay.

[Player G]

Okay.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Okay. Okay.

[Player G]

Okay.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

What do we got? 15.

[Azune (Character)]

15.

[Player I]

16.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

16.

[Player F]

Twin 18s for a 1910.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Unbelievable. So, wait, we got a 15 and a 16 here. Unbelievable. Hold on one second.

[Player F]

Grab everybody.

[Player G]

That's okay.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

That's bad as hell.

[Player F]

Big bird at night.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

But big bird at night?

[Player F]

How would one even see a bird in the evening? Could you imagine?

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Yeah. They don't exist at night.

[Player G]

I couldn't imagine. I've never seen a bird.

[Player F]

No. I'm having a stroke.

[Player G]

I've never seen bird.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Big bird at night.

[Player F]

Big bird at night.

[Player G]

Yeah.

[Player F]

Impossible. Flight.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

My seat. Please don't kill us on the median. Roll being a 16, you are off into the sky. Anyone who wants to give me a perception check?

[Player I]

Oh, yeah, I am looking everywhere.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

I'm not.

[Player I]

Yeah.

[Player G]

I'm sorry.

[Player F]

Is Julian afraid of heights?

[Critical Role Announcer]

I don't think he's ever been this.

[Player F]

17.

[Player I]

10.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

10.

[Player G]

No.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

7. 7.

[Player F]

17.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

17. That didn't roll. Didn't roll. Tysha. Looking back out, you see Altrather is shaky getting up off the ground, but as he gets up over the cliffs, all of a sudden he just. And just starts to soar. And it's actually very. Even more than even. You've also traveled by ship before. You'd say this is more comfortable than traveling by ship, given how steady the Evil's flight is. This is great on a 17. Perception. You look behind you, Riesengerdle is already vanishing away. But you do see some light coming from the Eyrie. And you see two identical shapes speaking to Amida.

[Player G]

Oh, no. You better not do anything to her.

[Player F]

I don't know how scary your sisters are.

[Player I]

I barely do.

[Player F]

Fair. My cousin's no slouch.

[Adobe Acrobat Announcer]

Yes.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Fair. No.

[Player F]

Okay,

[Player I]

it would be her. It would be absurd for them to start a fight with the Druid Circles, but they did kill a house.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Yeah.

[Player I]

So, yeah.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Turning back to look, I think Tycha fading into the distance already you see the two shapes speaking to Amida. And even as they're almost like dots, see what looks like a very pronounced movement, and see that there's a bow of mutual respect from the sisters to Amida. And they are once again in that smoky form, traveling away. However, something unsettling fills your senses here in this moment. As Altradler flies slowly, not attempting to flap, you look back and see light once again from that peak where Amida is staying. It begins to get colder in the Air. And looking around you, I think you can feel or sense that something is wrong here. In the air around you. You begin to hear. And can see that there are shapes manifesting in the sky as you are traveling through of things pushing through from the other side.

[Player F]

Do I first instinct. Does octys need to do anything to get the anti airtag to activate. Is it just possession of it or wear it? Eat it?

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

I think. You don't know in this moment.

[Player I]

Yeah.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

You're just not sure. I have it.

[Player I]

Does it have a.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Yes. It's worn like an amulet. Okay.

[Player I]

So I throw it on.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

You throw it on. You feel a kind of magic within it that you can feel begging for study. This thing is offering magic to you, but not freely.

[Player I]

I understand.

[Player F]

I'm letting everyone know that I've got the willies and trying to point out. I can't tell if you can see or feel it. Your family's looking for you here.

[Player I]

No, I can feel it

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

as this occurs in this moment. You feeling this. I think octys you actually see physically. Something appears. A face in the clouds nearby. Altraddler is still traveling under cloud level, but not by much. And all of a sudden, Tysha once again now with Rhys and Girdle even yet again, another half mile behind you already from Shongarten. You see a little crackle of something and you begin to see the clouds moving around you, darkening. Okay. You hear the screech of a hawk near nearby. Move through as a bird moves into sort of side by side with your sky carriage.

[Player F]

Ray of frost.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Ray of frost. Of the bird.

[Player F]

Yeah.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Hell yeah. Go ahead. Give me an attack roll.

[Player F]

17.

[Azune (Character)]

Oh.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

18. 18. Go ahead and roll damage.

[Player I]

Sweet as a druid.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Father, Grandfather.

[Critical Role Announcer]

I've come to help you.

[Player F]

13.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

13 points of damage.

[Player I]

Yeah.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Hanon's voice speaks and says. Stop it.

[Azune (Character)]

Okay?

[Player F]

Explain yourself.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

They're coming after you. He wheels away. Stop it. I was joking.

[Player F]

I'm trying so hard. Like Tyson's trying so hard not to laugh.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Like, oh, no,

[Player F]

I gotta wear name tags or something.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

You see above you that Amida has very clearly cast control weather. And you see that Hanon in hawk form. His eyes glow as all around alltraddler in your carriage. He begins to call down lightning from a call lightning spell as these spirits are essentially blasted out of the sky around your vessel.

[Player F]

Switch targets. I'm going to start trying to. I will no longer hit the hawk. That is in fact my friend.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

You see, Hannon pulls farther away from you. He gets well out of range. I'm Sorry. Calls at a way higher range than that. And perceive for this moment that essentially all around you, great and powerful forces begin to tear at each other at a distance. Ultradler moves on that. The stealth check fails again. You see that the battle's raging around you. But Ultradler looks to you with your speak with animals still active and says, is everything all right? There's a storm.

[Player F]

Oh, you're doing great. Can you. No, you're just doing great. Keep it up. Maybe faster.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Faster if you've got it. I don't want to land in the dark.

[Player F]

Oh, buddy, we want to land, period. And we're being sort of pursued, so maybe hustle faster.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Hold on. Jesus. And see, suddenly all of you. Okay, okay. And suddenly you see that all throttler was basically just taking move actions and no dash actions. And begins to outpace both the spirits. I think in this moment, you see the strange game at play here. Petra and Raya bowed to Amida's face. And both of them went back to their corners and did this all trottler faster than the wind, literally. In this case, it is extremely turbulent, sickening, nauseating flight for about 10 straight minutes, after which. After which, you Octus, you feel nothing. You're completely fine. There's no nausea to you at all.

[Player I]

Holding Snap. And disappears again.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Stay. And you see that after those minutes, the storm fades away. That hits the farthest range of what Ameda can produce. And also moving out of visibility of the city. You see that Altraddler. Even with magical flight, Altraddler is faster than whatever sorcerer would want to pursue him and doesn't have a concentration or spell duration that would drop him out of the sky in pursuit. Whatever summoned beings pursue you after those 10 minutes, even that powerful summoning fades away as you watch the storm fight the dead behind you, fading into the distance.

[Player F]

I think just sort of leaning up, trying not to barf again. Thank you. You could go back to normal. Thank you.

[Player I]

Good job.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

And all of you look sort of pelted with rain here in the cold. Look as the clouds part and you behold beautiful starry skies.

[Player I]

It was a little unsettling that I didn't feel that.

[Player F]

Yeah, that was the unsettling thing. Hey, Arctis. I fucking hate your family.

[Player I]

Fair.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

You see that? Erinessa prestidigitates the rain off of herself and begins to do so for everybody else.

[Player I]

You said there was a canvas thing. Is that a cover to pull over this?

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Yes.

[Player I]

Is it over it or is it rolled up?

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

It's rolled up right now. Okay.

[Player I]

I'll start trying to unroll that to put the COVID over.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Taking the COVID hover over. The freezing wind is cut down and now it just creates a gentle flapping noise. It's very taut canvas, but little with the canvas closed. All of you are in a gentle rocking in the steady flight of this giant bird. As the canvas goes up too, you see Tycha distant some ways away from you. Hanan is still flying in the same direction as you guys. Thanks.

[Player F]

Are you with us because we're in danger or you just miss us?

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

You are greeted by silence. All right.

[Player G]

Blast.

[Player F]

Someone one time decided to throw an attitude.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

The canvas goes up and while it diminishes the starry sky from view, it is certainly much more comfortable. And actually with the canvas up pretty quickly, your own body heat makes it a little bit more livable up here.

[Player F]

I'll also pull out the wool blankets and just have them on deck.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Erinessa looks and says good night. It is like 2 o' clock in the morning after everything that has happened. You were in Castle Klippenblick earlier tonight. Oh, it's been a big day. It's been a big day knowing that you have hours of flight ahead of you. Erinessa is not gonna lose this opportunity. And she just passes out. Yeah. I think she actually leans her head against you, Julia, in this moment and just seated there.

[Player I]

You should all try and get some sleep. I can wake you up if necessary.

[Player F]

Are you sure you don't need to rest?

[Player I]

I can rest by sitting here. I don't. There's nothing else I can do. It's been days since I slept fair.

[Player F]

Well, hold on and I'll sling the knapsack of gifts from Amadoff and hand them to you. You're good at identifying things. Yeah.

[Player G]

Yeah.

[Player I]

I can sit here and figure out what these do.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Player G]

I can help.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Okay. You good?

[Player F]

Do you need anything? Oh, well, all right.

[Player I]

Cool. Okay. It's like Elijah Wood can sleep anywhere.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

I think Tysha fights Julian pass out.

[Critical Role Announcer]

I think Julian has taken the brief moment here to exhaustively pass out.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Incredible.

[Player F]

Tysia fights sleep for probably another hour and then passes out.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

I think Tysha, you're on like Erinessa got middle seat in between you and Julian.

[Player F]

Yeah. It's just a full domino slump.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

And then on the other side, vaelys and octys.

[Player I]

Are you okay? You got hit pretty hard.

[Player G]

I'll be okay. How do you feel?

[Player I]

I didn't get hit. Yeah, I'm fine. I'm. My brother died.

[Player G]

Yeah.

[Player I]

I mean, I didn't we weren't close. Julian has every right to be angry. But he was still my brother, so that's a little weird. I don't know how I feel about that.

[Player G]

This has been a wild few days.

[Player I]

Yeah. Not really.

[Player G]

I'm sorry. Your family tried to kill you. Did kill you.

[Player I]

Yeah, they did. Real succeed in that. They seem to be good at that. It's fine. I think. I think I just need a minute. To not be immediately chased by them and do a good job at letting them know I wasn't alive anymore. Or I am alive. That I didn't do a good job at not telling them I'm conscious, I think is the best way to put that. Yeah.

[Player G]

Your sisters seem like fun.

[Player I]

I mean, I really don't know them. They're the oldest. By the time I was born, they were already adults doing their own thing.

[Player G]

Why do you think they wanted to kill you?

[Player I]

I. It won't be a surprise that I've been thinking about this. I don't know. I think it might. There's a number of reasons. I'm an embarrassment to the power that they have. Cause I didn't have it from birth, you know.

[Player G]

Do they know about your abilities now?

[Player I]

I don't think they care what wizardry is. To someone who's born with magic. Normal people pretending to be sorcerers. It's I guess, maybe a little disgusting.

[Player G]

But you're not pretending.

[Player I]

But it works differently. I wasn't born with it. I'm not special.

[Player G]

I beg to differ.

[Player I]

Yeah, well, from their perspective. But I think also they needed. There is power in ritual and the meaning of an ingredient used in a spell. So using my heart, a member of the. Their family, to do something is possibly necessary. You understand what? I don't know. I mean, I haven't been in contact with my family for years. And I thought they were just going to let me drift into obscurity. And they didn't. I'll have to figure it out. But that's not an immediate concern at this very moment. It's going to take time. And I still have to figure out. Yes, Figure out a more permanent solution to the hole in my chest and stomach then we have. Why are you here? You don't need to be.

[Player G]

I know. But I want to be.

[Player I]

It seems to be putting yourself in a whole lot of danger for really no reason.

[Player G]

I welcome it.

[Player I]

Like he does. Hanon wants to hasten his anger so that he can stop living.

[Player G]

I welcome it. But I need to finish some things first. I. I haven't felt I guess this is hope, and I don't know how long. So I need to chase this until I figure out what it is.

[Player I]

Okay.

[Player G]

And help you and.

[Player I]

Yeah, okay. I mean, if I can help, I'll try. I don't know what exactly you need or what you're looking for, but you

[Player G]

don't need to do anything.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Okay.

[Player G]

Well, would you like to try and rest, or. I. I meditate.

[Player I]

I guess I can try. I need to.

[Player G]

It sort of helps. I don't do it all the time,

[Player I]

but I can try. I also should figure out what some of these things do. They need to know for when they wake up, but I need some time. I will need to take some time to. I don't know, decompress, maybe. I don't know, but I can try. How do you do it? Like, what do you do? I understand that I'm asking for a simple answer to a relatively difficult concept,

[Player G]

but it's something I've never really thought about. But I. I just try to shut out the noise around me.

[Player I]

Okay.

[Player G]

And just close my eyes. My eyes.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

And

[Player G]

I like to remember certain things if I can, things that make me feel better than how I feel.

[Player I]

Okay. Yeah, that makes sense.

[Player G]

Does it?

[Player I]

Look, I don't very

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

much.

[Player I]

I used to just sleep. It just happened.

[Player G]

Yeah.

[Player I]

I didn't have to try, so it's something to just try and sit with. Pleasant memories. You know what? I'm. I'm good at learning. Can you. And if this doesn't sound. This is gonna sound weird. Can you do it so I can watch?

[Player G]

You want to watch me? Yeah, I'll show you. I just kind of. I take a minute, I close my

[Player I]

eyes,

[Player G]

and I try to go into a trance, which is hard because I know somebody's watching me.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Yeah.

[Player I]

I kind of get that feeling. And I start just, like, kind of looking at you, but also trying to identify. Spend time being like, okay, we'll do these things. And just came, like, out of the.

[Player G]

When you're trying to pee and you know someone's listening.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Yeah, just like, just go. Just go. Just go.

[Player G]

So I go into a trance.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

That was a really example.

[Player G]

I don't know why that's what came to me first.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

No, it is like being pe shy.

[Player G]

Yeah, it's pe shy.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

That's the medical term.

[Player G]

Thank you. I want to be so much cooler than I am.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

It's remarkably easy. It might have been harder, honestly, if the canvas had not been closed up, not only because of the wind, but because for a moment, you were looking at ahriman. Spread out underneath you. Phyllis is 800 years old. Has she ever flown before? Maybe.

[Player G]

Maybe. But this feels different.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

It's part of the world feels new. It's something new, different stars. In this part of the world,

[Insurance Announcer]

You

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

with the canvas, there is just the wind rushing past. Allstradler beats his wings maybe once every other minute. And it creates this almost soporific. It's rhythmic. It feels like white noise, cool air, warm blankets. And then you're gone. Where do you go in your memory?

[Player G]

I. I think if I'm thinking of my happiest moments, at least trying to connect with that. I think those thoughts always go to my brother, um, my best friend. And I just try to sit with that, just the happy parts, and try to separate the good parts and try to put the bad parts and compartmentalize them into another area.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Arthas is looking right at you. He takes a bite of an apple in his hand, is seated in this saddle of this massive tree. You're in. Essentially, these are sequoias. They're enormous. You're like 200ft. You're 100ft up in the air. You see, he's in the saddle, feet dangling. Feet are dangling, barefoot. I don't think they're coming. I think they missed him.

[Player G]

I don't think they're coming either. I think they bailed.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Looks over.

[Player G]

Lame.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

You hear that? Underneath you, a herd of elk come roaring 100ft. You see behind you, your sister Meiwin is riding on the back of a unicorn. Looks out and says, you guys are gonna believe it. Staring off. Arthas goes, oh, wait. Where are they? Where's ours? Wait, Where'd you find these? And you see, he says, the hunting grounds. And Arthas goes, that's for the hunters. As these elk tear through, I'm gonna

[Player G]

start running on the tree branches, and I'm gonna try to jump on one.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Incredible. Go ahead and give me an athletics roll. Okay, let's go. Free elk. Oh, no. Ten.

[Lowe's Announcer]

Ten.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

You. You rush forward, and as you leap, you catch a bad branch and start to fall. And suddenly, you. There is a swinging vine. And you see that Arthas has got his arm around you.

[Player G]

I just squeeze him.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

You squeeze him tight.

[Player G]

I could have died.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, you could have died. And you see that he. As he holds his hands up, he just raises his wrist and says, mother. And you see that a vine springs from his hand, wraps around the tree, and it's almost like the tree connects with the vine and it grows branches that lets you gently spiraling down swinging centrifugal Almost like a carnival ride swinging through. You land on the forest floor below.

[Player G]

That was way cooler than what I did.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

You see that? Arthas looks and says, you know, all you have to do is. The prayers aren't that hard to learn. It's like you can spend a couple hours with a book each time.

[Player G]

I can't remember them.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

I try.

[Player G]

I'm so good, though. I'm so faithful. And I do all the right stuff, but I can't remember it.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

I know. I know. It's. If there was a prize for faith in absence of careful. If there was a prize for faith alone, you'd win it.

[Player G]

I would win.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

I'd win. Maywin, you see, rides around the corner and says, would you win it? Only one of us is riding a unicorn right now.

[Player G]

You're a bitch.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

And you see, she says, you're a bitch. And the unicorn bucks her off hard. You see, Arthur says, you can't say bitch on a unicorn.

[Player F]

Everyone knows that.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

You see, the unicorn sort of stalks off gently into the forest, turns around and looks absolutely scoldingly at all of you.

[Player G]

Sorry.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

And you see that Arthas turns and says, are you all right? And goes over to heal her. And you see, he says, this prayer heals her sort of twisted ankle. But as you see, he goes for the healing. He's like, oh, I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry.

[Player G]

I just get beside him and I start praying, too.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

I didn't mean to curse. It's just they. I was telling them not to say it, so I just used the word. I'm sorry.

[Player G]

I'm sorry I said bitch. I'm sorry I just said it again. Please forgive me.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

This is a holy forest. We should go. Sorry.

[Player G]

Why did I say that? I just got really excited.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

As you walk, you can just see that Arthas is sort of possessed of.

[Player F]

He's like.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

I don't know. Something has changed in his demeanor in this moment. As Meiwin walks, actually, he picks her up in his arms because her ankle is hobbled and he can't heal it.

[Player G]

Right now, I'm just sort of walking behind, a little embarrassed. And I pick up just a handful of flowers, and I just start making a little daisy chain crown.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Turns around to look at you. In a few more years, you're gonna be 50. Yeah. Imagine it might be time to think

[Azune (Character)]

about

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

where your passion lies or how you want to devote yourself to our people, to our mother. You can't. You can't just keep running off the branches.

[Player G]

But it's what I love best.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

He looks at the flowers in your hand. Maybe you'll find a different way to pray. That's sort of like a prayer. It's repetitive. Yeah.

[Player G]

Sorry.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

It's okay. You don't.

[Player G]

Sorry.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

That's when you. We say sorry to. You don't ever have to say sorry to me. And you spend the rest of your time walking home. Octys

[Player I]

Octus is going to spend the time while Velas is in their trance, watching and trying to almost just learn by watching is what he good at doing. But also during that time sitting. How much room is there on the floor of this carriage?

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

There's more under the benches. You're pretty close to being, I'd say, similar to a carriage car. You know, you're almost knee to knee.

[Player I]

Essentially he is sat on his knees on the floor of the carriage with his back to Tysha's legs and using the under part of the seat as a little space where he's drawn a ritual circle on the ground and is taking 11 minutes at a time to identify the things that were given to him. As he's keeping an eye on Velis, going back and forth, doing 11 minutes washing for going back, doing that to identify the items we were given and then spending the required amount of time investigating the item he was given to then attune to it, which is, I assume, what it needs.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Yes. You can take an hour to attune to the walker's ward in studying the magic of it. This walker's ward is about 250 years old, which is a long time for twine and wood to survive. But the magic within it is very strong. If you look at your character sheet, you will see it before you.

[Player I]

What?

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

And refresh.

[Player F]

Refresh. If you say it, it happens.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

If you say it happens, it is there. And you can go ahead and read that and tell me what octys sees within that ward.

[Player I]

So while wearing this amulet, you are immune to magic that allows other creatures to read your thoughts, determine whether you are lying, know your alignment, know whether you have the ability to cast spells and at what level, and know your creature type creatures can telepathically communicate with you only if you allow it. So he's looking at this knot of sticks, these twigs that are all bound together within this. Symbol. And he's looking at it and I think this is how he in him studying the interconnectedness of the yarn and the way it crosses and forms. He sees this web that is a lock as he is studying it and ending this hour of Spending time with this and really visualizing this thing, it's like, oh, I see how the magic. Magic flows through the yarn. And it is a way for me to trap unwanted attention within a net and to keep it there and distract it from seeing me. The yarn is charged with magic, which causes the spell to become confused. And it keeps looking for me inside of a maze that it can't get out of. Interesting. I think in seeing the web. And he starts to understand how magic works in an inanimate object and spends time figuring out

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

in the future.

[Player I]

I think I can. That's good to know. That's useful. Interesting.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

The history of the artifact is not lost on you either. Of why druids would need to be able to move secretly through the world.

[Player I]

Right. This is very good.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

And seeing that maze, I think you also realize this thing will work best at protecting you from broad nets. Because if someone looks at the horizon and sees nothing concerning about you, that will be less concerning than if they are looking at you directly and seeing nothing.

[Player I]

Yeah. It's not perfect. It is a deterrent.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Perfect.

[Player I]

But I still need to be cautious. It doesn't make me invisible.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Yeah.

[Player I]

And then sits and waits for Vaelis to wake up.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

After a couple hours, Vaelys, you awaken or you leave your trance. Having fully rested, I should say. Okay.

[Player G]

Just seeing. Seeing her eyes underneath her eyelids sort of start to calm down. Did you learn anything?

[Player I]

I think so. I was. It looked peaceful.

[Player G]

That's good.

[Player I]

But I could see you were dreaming. Your eyes were moving. Yeah.

[Player G]

That happens sometimes.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Yeah.

[Player G]

I wonder if you still have dreams.

[Player I]

I don't know. I took the time I worked on figuring out what these things do and.

[Player G]

Great.

[Player I]

So we'll have those for when they wake up.

[Player G]

What's in the box?

[Player I]

What is in the box?

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

We'll find out when we come back from brain. What's in the box? And that's where we'll leave our story for now. Part two of this episode of Campaign 4 drops this Tuesday. Thanks for listening and we'll see you soon. For more critical role.

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[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

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[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

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