Flight to Castle Torch | Critical Role | Campaign 4, Episode 15 Part 2

Summary

Critical Role Campaign 4, Episode 15 Part 2: “Flight to Castle Torch” – Summary

Main Theme:
The party concludes their harrowing flight to Castle Torch, exchanging insights about mysterious druidic relics, confronting political fallout and betrayal among the Sundered Houses, and discovering a plot endangering Tysha’s son and a battalion of soldiers. The episode is rich in character moments, tense confrontation, and the emotional weight of newfound responsibility, with the cast leaning into both humor and drama as they navigate the next phase of their quest.

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Recap & Major Themes

• The party pores over a cache of magical items and relics during a tense, sleepless journey.
• On arrival at Castle Torch, they uncover that House Taconis has betrayed House Royce and others, setting off political repercussions.
• Tysha’s son and a company of soldiers have been sent on a perilous mission under false pretenses, a situation steeped in deception and urgent stakes.
• Farewells and hard choices arise as allies determine where their loyalties and responsibilities lie.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Magical Items and Lore Unveiled (01:32–14:20)

• Octys catalogs and examines magical charms and scrolls (02:46–07:28):

  • Hare’s Charm (jumping), Otter’s Charm (swimming), Spring Charm (healing/resistance to poison), and the mysterious "Embers of Arask" (ancient burning coals).
  • Druidic scrolls: one spell (beyond their casting), one record of a promise to the Circle of Stones, and one abjuration for protection.
  • The "Kibonim Kadaz" — a meticulous tome containing the “names of stones” in Druidic, possibly bestowing the chance to learn or name stones for magical utility.
  • Notable quote:
    “I don’t know how to say this, but almost like a family history of stones, actual rocks. ...I might be able to find out who it is, which is very interesting.” – Octys (11:56)
    • Delight at the potential of names as both knowledge and magical tool.

• Rest for the weary (14:20–17:32):

  • Octys attempts a Warforged style trance, seeking peace in difficult memories, drawing comfort from childhood time with Thimble.

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2. Flight and Arrival: Atmosphere and Setting (17:32–37:04)

• Scenic flight above Girouen and the Barrowdells (19:34–24:03):
  • Vivid descriptions of celestial anomalies: “a soft tear across the sky ...eternal night ...has not known the dawn for 70 years.”
  • Landing in a pastoral field, negotiating with a local goatherd after their eagle-mount feasts on his herd.
  • Light banter as the party doles out the druidic relics—each considers which charm will aid them most.
  • Notable quotes:
    “Let’s wait till we’re not in the air before we burn the carriage.” – Octys (08:14)
    “You are my sister. ...Walk it proudly, and I will find you in this life or the next.” – Tysha to Erinessa (127:22)

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3. Arrival at Castle Torch: Reunions and Revelations (37:04–62:51)

• Castle Torch setting: A fortress brimming with a lively, diverse company of defenders.
• Downtime and camaraderie:
  • Exchanges with Castellan staff and knights—highlighting a culture of military pride and earthiness (“fuck castle” jokes, Olympic village energy).
  • Julian’s tentative navigation of his role as both teacher and protector, especially regarding Tysha’s son Alagar.
  • Notable quotes:
    “I have not fucked your son.” – Julian, to Tysha (71:21)
    “It is not a fuck castle. It is a shield of the world of mortals against the darkness without. I'm so sorry.” – Erinessa, correcting Tysha (66:28)

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4. Unraveling a Betrayal (84:20–106:05)

• Political fallout becomes clear:
  • News is revealed: House Taconis, via subterfuge, sent the 3rd Battalion (including Tysha’s son) into the Eternal Night based on a false order.
  • Emotional confrontation as Saramai, a knight in service to Taconis, realizes she acted on a lie—a tragic byproduct of tangled chains of command.
  • Notable moment:
    Vaelys reads Dame Gaia Saramai and perceives her visible fear is genuine confusion, not malice. (88:44–91:01)
  • The party moves swiftly to commandeer her as their guide into the night, as she seeks redemption for her unintended role.

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5. Choosing the Next Path: Divided Loyalties (111:49–128:23)

• Farewells and future paths:

  • Erinessa Royse stands at the crucial crossroads, torn between duty to her people and desire to help the party.
  • Julian and Tysha counsel her, balancing the costs of splitting their family of survivors.
  • Insight: Vaelys senses that Erinessa holds deep, painful secrets—but she is not their villain.
    “...Behind her eyes is one of the largest secrets you have ever beheld. ...She has kept hers in great pain for a long, long time. You are not being lied to...” – Brennan Lee Mulligan (123:51)

• Meaningful exchanges of gifts and words:

  • Tysha: “If before we meet again, you find yourself in a wood with an old and well trod path before you, walk it proudly, and I will find you in this life or the next.” (127:22)
  • Octys: “Do not leave that family before I see you again.” (128:16)
  • Erinessa: “To Konis…to a day when we see each other and restore what has been taken from our houses. …If I still have a home, it’s open to you.” (128:23)

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6. Final Preparations and Ride into Darkness (129:17–End)

• With new companions, the party prepares to enter the Eternal Night to rescue Tysha’s son and potentially thwart greater evils set in motion by the shadowy Taconis conspiracy.
• A sense of urgency, exhaustion, and the forging of new bonds pervades.
• Still, humor lingers (“What is it you do, actually?”) keeping spirits aloft amid looming threat.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

| Timestamp | Speaker | Quote / Moment | |------------|------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 11:56 | Octys | “I don’t know how to say this, but almost like a family history of stones, actual rocks.” | | 29:45 | Octys/Party | (Chanting) “Stronger, farther.” “Faster.” “Harder.” | | 71:21 | Julian | “I have not fucked your son.” | | 66:28 | Erinessa (to Tysha) | “It is not a fuck castle. It is a shield of the world of mortals against the darkness without. ...” | | 88:44 | Vaelys | (Insight) Detects Saramai’s fear is real confusion, not guilt or deception. | | 123:51 | Brennan (re: Erinessa) | “Behind her eyes is one of the largest secrets you have ever beheld. ...You are not being lied to...” | | 127:22 | Tysha (to Erinessa) | “Walk it proudly, and I will find you in this life or the next.” | | 128:16 | Octys | “Do not leave that family before I see you again.” |

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Important Timestamps

• Inspection of magical relics and lore: 01:32–14:20
• Arriving at Girouen, negotiating with locals, landing: 19:34–37:04
• Castle Torch reunion, dialogue with knights: 57:10–61:16
• Political revelations & Saramai’s confession: 84:20–106:05
• Strategic planning & party division: 111:49–129:17
• Poignant farewells & gift exchange: 127:22–128:55
• Ride out toward the Eternal Night: 129:17–ending

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Flow & Tone

The episode threads tense political intrigue and personal stakes with moments of levity and warmth—voice actors bring nuance and heart, especially as alliances shift and responsibilities force hard choices. Recurring humor (the ‘fuck castle’ running joke), worldbuilding asides, and the gravity of familial loss all enrich the dynamic.

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Summary for the Uninitiated

If you haven’t listened:
The party, haggard and divided by fresh betrayals, regroups at Castle Torch. They unpack both literal treasures (magical relics with mythical backstory) and grief for lost kin as they learn Tysha’s son has been sent into grave danger by the manipulations of their enemies. Strong character bonds, both new and tested, are at the forefront. The party sets its resolve, with some heading on a rescue mission into the cursed Eternal Night and others forced to protect their fading safe havens elsewhere, unsure what or whom they’ll find—or lose—next.

Transcript

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[Octys]

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[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Hello again, it's Brennan Lee Mulligan, and you're listening to part two of this episode of Critical Role. If you haven't checked out part one yet, pause this now and head over there first. What are you doing? Otherwise, let's jump right back into this adventure and the world of Ahriman. We return. Don't laugh. Don't laugh. This is deadly serious. Juice. Some kind of juice. I didn't hear what was said. The important thing is, as we return to the skies over Helvar Octus, you have spent the past several hours your companions across the carriage from you get asleep. Phaylas wakes up after four hours and you have spent the better part of an evening with your back up against Tysha's knees. The area in front of you under the seat and also on top of the seat, available as a workspace for you to look through these items. Yeah, and you have looked through them quite a bit. Do you have any questions about any of the things put before you? No.

[Octys]

Well, so there are a few charms and some scrolls, which the scrolls look like scrolls, I assume, but there's three charms the hare's charm, the otter's charm and spring charm. What do they look like?

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

The hares and otters and spring charm, all much like your walker's ward, are very simple. There is in their cases, a leather cord that ends in a beautiful, smoother than moonlight stone charm. Each of an animal in sort of resting form around itself. So a hair curled up and around almost in the shape of a teardrop. Right. But you can see that it's the shape of the animal there. And then of an otter as well. The hare's stone is. They are smooth and polished stone as well. The hare's charm is a sort of dappled Jasper. Dappled Jasper, kind of gray. And then the otter's charm is a basalt or some kind of volcanic rock that's been carved into a deeper shade. And the spring charm is actually a pressed flower, not in glass, but in what looks like dragonfly wings, and then set into a piece of wood that has been set in amber. So sort of like an amber edge or outline around pressed and preserved dragonfly wing on an ancient flower pressed behind the gossamer of the dragonfly wing.

[Octys]

That's very cool for me right now. Great. And then the embers of arask are

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

what's in the chest are what's in the chest. And the scrolls, I will say, are all written in Druidic. So these are our Druidic scrolls. Only one of them you recognize to be a spell scroll, but it is of a spell that is beyond your ability to cast. But the other two, look a little bit closer. They're not even spells. One of them appears to be something like a written record of a promise made to a Druidic order to the circle of stones. Interesting. And the other one looks to be a chanted abjuration, something that is meant to ward and protect the embers of arask. As you open that chest, you see that as you're looking at it, there are these coals that are dim, what you would find in the hearth the morning waking up these dim, dim embers, but still smoking, crackling. And it is of some ancient coal deep beneath the earth. Something. This is, in other words, not an ember of a fresh cut piece of wood. This is an ember from deep below the earth, crackling here and smoking as you behold it. The chest actually has a series of metal arms and then a tin with holes punctured in it. This tin pan with a covering on it that rests removed by these arms from the wood of the chest around it. So they Just smoke in the middle, not touching anything. Right.

[Octys]

This is the hand warmer.

[Tysha]

It's a very fancy hand warmer. Great.

[Octys]

I think I figured out what most of these are. Some of them will need Taisha to look at. I don't speak the language they're written in.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Okay.

[Octys]

But these other three charms could be useful. I'll wait. I can tell you what they do when everyone else is awake. See who wants what. Okay, but the chest. These are these coals. If, when you come in contact, they will effectively burn someone they come in contact with. And she said it was a form of ammunition, so I'm assuming some sort of sling apparatus could hurl these at people and burn them.

[Advertiser/Announcer]

Cool.

[Octys]

Which would be useful how? I mean, I assume.

[Vaelys]

I wonder if I could put any in my sensors.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

I don't. I don't think you. These were the things that were hurriedly given to you by Amida. I don't think that occurs to you to be. Far from it. I mean, she said ammunition, but. That's her.

[Octys]

That's her.

[Tysha]

Yeah.

[Octys]

We could always try. I like experiments.

[Vaelys]

Me, too. Options. Things to think about.

[Octys]

Let's wait till we're not in the air before we burn the carriage.

[Vaelys]

Oh, yes, yes, yes, that's right.

[Tysha]

Just wake up and we're like the eagle's a phoenix. Now,

[Julian]

just toy with the pieces.

[Tysha]

You're not landing in the dark, little buddy.

[Octys]

You are the light.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

We need light for you.

[Tysha]

Yes.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

The one that probably is of the most interest to you. Because, as you said, the scrolls and the charms were created for exactly this purpose, to give aid to something. But the embers appear to just be this discovered thing. Aresk you would know is the Titan of Fire, the primordial queen of fire. But the other thing you see here is this thing that has a title on the book and is sort of a book of druidic magic. This appears to be a more recent, painstaking copy. Copying these books is very challenging. So this is why you were given one at all. But for what your journey was. This is the Kibonim Kadaz, which is druid.

[Octys]

Oh, that was at the bottom of the list. I see this now. I didn't see it before.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

This, to you pulling it out is. Whoa. The Kibonim Kadaz is the book of the names of stones.

[Vaelys]

I spelled that definitely so wrong.

[Tysha]

Probably not.

[Octys]

That's so cool.

[Vaelys]

Not even close to what's on there.

[Tysha]

I will never look. Trust me,

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

You're looking through that. I think Vaelys looking at this book, waiting to see. Sort of like, the indentations of either prose or poetry. You see in Druidic lines, columns, ranks, words written, some smaller shapes here line off sketches with tiny script. There are pages of this book, which is a sort of large dwarven tome that in Druidic have lettering that is maybe a twentieth of an inch tall, like the finest script. This is like. This is like instant migraine to try to read this book without some kind of magnifying power. And I think it is written in Druidic. So the language.

[Octys]

I can take a minute. I don't know if this actually work, but I can. Which will cast.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Comprehend languages, baby.

[Octys]

So

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

casting comprehend, you begin to decipher the Druidic script in front of you and see the names of not only vast ancient Druidic namings for types of stone written as the term they use is family name or surname for the types of stone. You see, there are hundreds of pages of just the individual names of stones out in the world. That's that rock's name,

[Tysha]

Gregory.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Each of these, the names of individual stones, some of which are small enough to be held in a hand and are described as such. Typically, the shortest name is somewhere in the neighborhood of 14 pronounceable syllables.

[Octys]

Oh, my God, this is incredible.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

This is.

[Octys]

I don't know how to say this, but almost like a family history of stones, actual rocks. Well, I think this will allow me. If I use it, spend some time with it, I can. If we find something that is made of, or at least partially made of stone, I might be able to find out who it is, which is very interesting.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Who?

[Octys]

Well, it will have a name, supposedly.

[Advertiser/Announcer]

Whoa.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Even in this short comprehending of languages, I think one of the things you see that this book is not intended for, but your wizardly mind begins to see is that with so much text, phonetic structures start to appear.

[Octys]

Right.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Family. You begin to see the grammar. Well, if that's a family name, that's where that goes. And I noticed that these two first names over here are the same. So if I were to encounter a stone like this from this other family, wouldn't this have to be its name or at least close to it and begin to see the empty spaces? Might not be that empty.

[Octys]

Yeah, that's interesting. There might also be enough text here for me to decipher this language and not have to use a spell. But it's not important right now. So this is fascinating.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

I think, Octys, you are beginning to also feel, even though you do not need sleep, you are becoming aware of the Joints grinding down your cartilage.

[Octys]

If you don't mind, I do need to try and rest. Yeah. I'm going to try and do what you did. Okay. So I'll just puts his stuff away. Gets back up on the bench and slouches down on the bench and sits.

[Vaelys]

I. I get one of the war blankets. I know this is dumb.

[Octys]

I appreciate it. Thank you.

[Vaelys]

I just cover him.

[Octys]

Yeah. It's night now. Let me just double check here. Yeah. Interesting. This is so bonkers. So Octus is there and is just kind of. He starts thinking about doing what you said to think about his life and something that makes him happy. And as he does, the light in his eyes dims a little. But his eyes are still fully open. It's almost like someone turned off the light and he goes into himself. But I have to. Mechanically speaking. I have to spend these hours in inactive motionless state during which I retain consciousness.

[Vaelys]

That sounds so.

[Octys]

I just. So he's just staring forwards but I think is inside of his mind.

[Tysha]

Okay.

[Julian]

Been there.

[Octys]

And is just thinking. Trying to sift through the recent events and find something nice to think about. And it takes some digging.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Digging into your memory. What do you find that brings any sense of joy?

[Octys]

I think there's a lot of stumbling around through recent events and so much of his family is on his mind. And then going through and realizing how much of his family life was

[Tysha]

not

[Octys]

terrible but not great, unpleasant or lonely. He goes through the roster of his family and tries to find a memory with each. Any one memory with any of them. That is a positive sort of. That was nice. We had a nice day. And he doesn't really come up with anything. And then he stumbles on. But I used to hang out with Thimble all the time and that was fun. And starts thinking about the things they used to when he was a child and she was a child. And the things they would get up to and the mischief they would do when he was left without anyone to watch him.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

You stare ahead. Erinessa was already a woman grown by the time you were born. But there were so many times before all this happened that the Taconis would be invited somewhere. To the Fairies of the Golden Orchard would be what joy there was in those brief moments. Perhaps it was foreshadowed even then that you would have to make your escape from your family. Yeah. As morning arrives. Who. Who amongst Tysha and Julian are the first to awake?

[Julian]

I'd say just given the domino stack of weight left shoulder. Julian comes to first dislocated the chilled air met with that twinge of the faintest hangover. The soreness from the fight from the night before all culminates as he begins to stir and notices the stack just. Takes a moment to himself to reflect on everything. He's only had piecemeal moments to really begin to absorb these events. Sometimes it still feels like a weird daydream or a vision beyond reality. And I think he just sits and after a few moments decides to brave a glance to see how close you might be towards any semblance of civilization.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

You glance through the crack in the canvas underneath and see sort of hard to see almost. When you realize that Alex Radler has been circling for maybe an hour or two, you are above Gawain. He has not wished to land until it is safe to do so, has stayed on the wing and now appears to even. You see his eyes looking up at the massive bird. Hang low. Now that the sun comes up. The thermals that are beginning to greet him from up below make this flight even more sleepy. He's on the verge of falling asleep, buddy.

[Julian]

My lady, Tysha, we are over the city and the bird is getting sleepy.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

You look and see also this strange sight from up here because you look and see that as he is circling, he banks away. You look and see far, far in the distance, the Covrosi Mountains and at the Arisen Girdle, which is a dot on the horizon far, far away, some 30 miles from here. As he wheels, all of a sudden, you look at a soft tear across the sky stretching the horizon here in day, a band above the horizon where in brightest day you can see the stars, the eternal night. Barrowdell of the fallen God of the sun. It has not known the dawn for 70 years. From the outside, it looks almost like a celestial wonder. A thin band across the blue where the stars can shine. And that thin strip of land on the horizon where it glows with that silvery moonlit glow. You know the feeling of nausea that awaits if you actually approach that place on foot.

[Tysha]

Okay, I'll go talk to him. I'll go talk to him and I'm going to clamber out and crawl towards his head like, good morning.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

You, sticking your head out of the carriage are basically looking up. You're under his eagle talons, holding this massive carriage, so you're looking up just the underside of his throat and under his beak as he looks out and goes,

[Tysha]

Hi, thank you so much. And thank you for waiting till I said I'm tired. We should go down whenever you're ready.

[Julian]

All right.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Anywhere that is a point. Or just the safest ground.

[Tysha]

Safest ground where you can maybe rest for a little bit before returning.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Oh, no, I won't rest here. I won't rest here. Oh, okay. It's not. It's not safe.

[Tysha]

Understood. And then I have that thought just a little bit because I didn't get to experience Featherfall like a week ago.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

No, no, no, no. He goes and says there are lots of little ones and not many big ones. And the little ones. I know that if I sleep, it might be fun to kill me.

[Tysha]

If you want to sleep, we can make sure. We could keep a guard. You could get some rest. Whatever you want for doing such a. Not because you did us a great service, but because you were kind. Would you like to sleep?

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

You're kind. Sky's safer for me. Okay. And you see, there is a.

[Tysha]

Get back in.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

I am sobbing. I love him.

[Tysha]

Get yourself ready.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

You gotta go.

[Octys]

I think hearing people talk, Octus like the light goes back into his eyes.

[Tysha]

Are you okay?

[Octys]

Yeah.

[Tysha]

Sorry.

[Octys]

I tried to breathe.

[Julian]

Oh.

[Octys]

Oh, it's unpleasant.

[Tysha]

I'm sorry, friend.

[Vaelys]

How'd it go?

[Octys]

I think it worked.

[Vaelys]

I think I did too.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Yeah.

[Vaelys]

I've been watching you for most of the night and it looked like you got some rest.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Waking up from your rest, such as it is, your mind is like a library where the books have been put away. You realize that you're starting the day with a little bit of mental order, that if you were not to do this regularly, you can't guarantee that your mind would stay focused, orderly, or perhaps, shall we say, friendly to your values. You also feel in your body that you. It's not wrong to think of yourself as a construct. Maybe undead are constructs. Fundamentally, you're just a construct that happens to hold something like a mind and a heart, or not a physical one anyway. But too soon. Too soon. But you feel that what healing to you feels like in this regard is that the magic that animates you is like a sheet and a blanket covering you and that the bed has been made. The magic goes and is attached strongly to each and every joint. Strongly throughout the muscles, strongly throughout the tendons. You are at your own disposal because of whatever this rest like thing you have done is.

[Tysha]

Great.

[Octys]

Okay.

[Tysha]

Yeah.

[Octys]

Thank you. Thank you. I feel much better.

[Vaelys]

Also something making me. Next time I could just command you to sleep. I wonder if it would work.

[Tysha]

Let's try it.

[Vaelys]

He'll try it if he can't sleep.

[Octys]

Oh.

[Tysha]

Oh.

[Octys]

While we're Landing. I know what everything does. Oh, the chest is full of a bunch of. For lack of a better word, burning coals that we can use for. She said ammunition, but could be for whatever we feel like. I hand you some skulls. These are all indrudic. The Scrolls of Magic.

[Julian]

Great.

[Octys]

There's three charms. They can go wherever we think is best. To each. There's one for each of us. I guess. There's the hair's charm. While wearing it, you can augment your jumping abilities. You can cast jump only on yourself. There's the Otter's charm. This will allow you to be at home in water like an otter would be. You can swim very quickly. Then the spring charm here allows you to take a minute and heal yourself once per day. Oh, and in addition to that, you have vengeance. Your advantage on saving throws against to avoid being the poison condition. While you wear the amulet, you have a natural resistance to poison. Okay, so those three are whoever.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

What is.

[Tysha]

I mean, you got.

[Octys]

You got one. I have one. This will. Oh, yeah. And this stops people from being able to find me Ish. And invade my mind. Oh, okay.

[Tysha]

Well, these were gifts very much intended for you all. So if the three of you, and I'm including Erinessa in this, want to decide amongst yourselves which of the three

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

you prefer, Erinnessa looks and says, oh, my. This is very, very thoughtful.

[Julian]

What's the jump one?

[Octys]

The one with the rabbit on it.

[Tysha]

What's a hair? It's different hair.

[Julian]

No, I don't fully understand this magic thing. Does it make me jump further? Stronger?

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Higher?

[Octys]

Stronger. Farther.

[Vaelys]

Faster.

[Octys]

Harder.

[Advertiser/Announcer]

Nope.

[Julian]

It's how much I do not understand the specifics. I have to understand how this works.

[Octys]

Sorry. Looks up the jump spell.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Hold on. You see, Erinessa looks and says, why don't you take a minute to test it? When we get to the ground, squirm.

[Tysha]

How high can you jump without it?

[Julian]

Breathe. The eye.

[Tysha]

All right, it comes.

[Julian]

I'll take it. I'll take it. We can talk later.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

You see, she looks and says. She says it's a Druidic relic. It's a. I don't. How is this like a.

[Tysha]

These are like ancient and good. If you lose it, I'll kill you.

[Julian]

How long is it?

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

All right. You see that? Erinessa says, well, good. Okay, good. Says,

[Octys]

ah.

[Vaelys]

That's how much I'm curious about the other stuff that's in the box because of the ember things.

[Octys]

Oh, right. We want to try and put that in there.

[Tysha]

Sorry, what?

[Octys]

We had an idea. More. I Had an idea to use some. They're called the Embers of Araska.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Oh.

[Octys]

And we thought maybe we put some inside the sensor.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Oh.

[Vaelys]

Just because they were smoking. So I thought, sure. But I don't quite know what they do.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

They would.

[Octys]

When struck with one, if I'm understanding them correctly. When struck with it, it burns people.

[Vaelys]

Okay, cool.

[Tysha]

That's how most fire works.

[Octys]

They do 1d6 fire damage.

[Tysha]

My nose starts bleeding. But I do understand

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

just that noise.

[Vaelys]

Is it like you throw them and it's just like a.

[Octys]

So it's like, mechanically speaking, the ammunition to a rock and a sling where you would throw it at something.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Okay, okay. But it's not. I think, beyond Vaylis's, like, essentially, there is. Let's not let the D and D mechanics confuse things here. These rocks burn you if they hit you. So putting them in your sensor would be putting a source of flame inside of your sensor. It's not an impossibility.

[Tysha]

Do we want to try to put one in now?

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

We can.

[Octys]

I felt it was better to wait till we're not in a wooden carriage in the sky.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

And boom, the springs go. As you can see why these springs are here. Essentially, there is a gentle motion whereby the landing of the carriage is not the landing of Altradla. In other words, his thing is to coast in, sort of send a big windstorm back to very gently drop you as you bounce up and down on these springs, as he continues on to very lightly leave you on the ground as light as he can, and then circle back around and land on his own vibes.

[Octys]

Now at McDonald's, get an iced coffee

[Julian]

for $1.99 all day.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Wait, $1.99?

[Advertiser/Announcer]

Really?

[Julian]

All day? And for any size.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Any size?

[Octys]

What'd I just say?

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

That McDonald's has any size iced coffee for $1.99 all day.

[Julian]

Yes, I think I was pretty clear.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

It just doesn't make sense.

[Julian]

Maybe you could use some coffee.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

I do have a dollar and 99 cents.

[Julian]

Price and participation may vary.

[Octys]

Cannot be combined with any other offer.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Ba da ba ba ba.

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[Julian]

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[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

you guys look and see you are in a beautiful wooded copse. This is a sort of farmland area. You look out and this massive carriage is in a beautiful pasture with very short grass because there's about 20 extremely frightened goats over by a fence, all hiding under a tree line from the 80 foot wingspan eagle that just didn't make a promise. Yeah, I know.

[Octys]

Wolf mote.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

And you see Alterodler circle back around and a minute, a few seconds later land at the top of the pasture on the ground. Look around, ruffle his feathers and look over at the goats and begin to.

[Tysha]

You want some goats? Okay, give me a number. I'm going to go find who owns these goats and pay for these goats. Just not all, please.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

And you walk off. Incredible. As you walk off, you are walking off with the three scrolls and the ring Amedda gave you. That was not. Yeah, yeah.

[Octys]

Do I. I'm gonna put that on. There's a one that makes you swim well and there's one that heals you.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

I. My lady Valas, I do not know to what degree you are comfortable with these Druidic relics, but by all means, whichever is most comforting to you. I would say leave to you.

[Vaelys]

I think you have your pick. I don't know if I'm going to wear one yet.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

I. Don't enjoy swimming. And you see this? She says, I'll take the spring charm, thank you very much.

[Octys]

Hands the charm over and hold onto it for now. And puts the otter's charm in his coat.

[Julian]

All right, so we are on the cusp of Girouen of Castle Torch.

[Octys]

Right?

[Julian]

What are we doing here before we send further east into the eternal night or where it is your vision is taking us.

[Octys]

Right?

[Tysha]

I mean, I walked away to go find you to give money about goats too.

[Octys]

And this is where I saw your son.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Possibly, possibly. The vision you saw seemed to be in ancient ruins consonant with the old Obra Demian empire. You've seen in Vanadas. That is the architecture. You believe that you saw him in some kind of subterranean dwelling? Something. Some tomb or mausoleum or some ancient kind of place. But you know that he was stationed at Castle Torch, where Julian was training him.

[Octys]

Yeah, effectively. We're looking for Tysha's son here, where you were training him.

[Julian]

Hello, Guy.

[Octys]

Yeah,

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

so?

[Tysha]

I didn't see that.

[Octys]

Look, if we find him and he's fine, then I think we can move on. The only thing leading us here was to make sure he was okay.

[Vaelys]

You know Alagar?

[Julian]

I know him well. He's a fine soldier. A bit, well, appreciatively. Impetuous at times, but has the talent. A little more refinement. In time, we can look for him. I may check in with Captain Phaedrun or maybe the High Ranger and see if there's been any news from the Golden Orchard, as we had to leave the Einfwassen establishment before we could receive any word from our families. As he looks to Lady Aranessa, we still have no confirmation as to whether or not.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

No. No confirmation. It's morning. So if your message was sent, there is at least that word. But there's Castle Torch, where you will be welcome. The Barrowguard answers the collective call of the Sundered Houses, but it is first and foremost under the authority of the Revolutionary Council. We will not be. If we were to be slaughtered on appearing at the castle, then indeed the world has gone to madness and there is no safe haven for us if Castle Torch is not.

[Julian]

Let's hope for one of three, huh?

[Tysha]

It was fine at my house.

[Julian]

One and a half.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

She looks and says, would you recommend that we go first to Castle Torch or the Lady Volkschief hold sway here in Ghirwyn? I don't have bad relationships with Alice, but I certainly.

[Octys]

I think I should refrain from having any more diplomatic visits for a while.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Tysha, you walk over to a farmhouse where you see a Helvarian goatherd comes out looking up and goes, oh. Oh, no.

[Tysha]

Yeah, I'm so sorry. That's exactly what you think is about to happen.

[Octys]

Mm. Mm.

[Tysha]

Yeah, I'm sorry. Okay, here's what we're gonna do. I'm gonna pay for some amount of those goats. And I promise to bless the other ones to make more goats. Quickly.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

You can do this, Druid. Oh, hi. Oh, the giant eagle you have brought is because. Oh, you walked the old path. Welcome.

[Julian]

Yes.

[Tysha]

So sorry. He's so hungry.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

No, no, it is all right. Just to know it is part of A plan. Oh.

[Tysha]

Oh, you're so sweet.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Yes, of course you can bless with a rite of fertility that the goats will. Marvelous. Yes, splendid. For the goat. How many do you think? I'm just.

[Octys]

Oh, God.

[Tysha]

I'm gonna do like a sort of at that rate and assume he'll go up like 12. Let's say 20 and call it a day.

[Octys]

There are only five goats.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

20 goats. All right, well, I'll have eight left. He goes, I think for this to replace the animals with 10 gold pieces of size.

[Tysha]

Yes, yes. I'm gonna pull out 12 gold pieces.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

He looks and says, oh, I'm so sorry. No, it is all right. Even if the goats prove to be prudish and standoffish, this will help me at least replenish my herd at market.

[Tysha]

I'm so sorry.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

I hope that. That they were sufficient meat for your great beast.

[Tysha]

He seems pleased.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

You see, Altruther sort of finishes this like there's still a couple goats left. And Altruther, I can't eat anymore. Okay.

[Tysha]

You have a number for me?

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

He looks and says, one.

[Tysha]

Oh, great counting. Yeah. And I am screaming like a red tailed hawk just across a prairie.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

He screams alter Adler with his full Lucy and says, thank you for not getting sick in the carriage or making too much noise during the ride.

[Tysha]

Thank you for risking landing in the dark but making it to the light. Safe journey. Learn to count.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Safe journey. Wolf takes his carriage up back into the sky and begins to fly back towards Riesengerdel.

[Tysha]

Sweet. I'll trot it out back to the homies, but I am gonna go ahead and put on the wood ring and just try to attune to it as we're.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Hell yeah.

[Vaelys]

Wait, so was he just holding onto us all night or are we connected to him? So if we started to fall asleep, we could just like slip out?

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

You guys did not attach the secure. The fastening. There were ropes. There were ropes. There were ropes There. We made it.

[Advertiser/Announcer]

We made it.

[Tysha]

He's a professional. He's been doing this for hundreds of thousands of years.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

He's great. What? Yeah. At this point also, you see that wheeling overhead is a red tailed hawk.

[Octys]

Oh.

[Tysha]

The whole night.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

The whole night.

[Tysha]

Oh, my gosh.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

As you wave to him, you see that Hanon circles down and approaches and lands in the pasture here in the morning and assumes his elven form. Hi, cousin.

[Octys]

Thank you.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

I spoke with Ameda before you made your way across the bridge. I'm sorry that I was not there to help you with the danger you were in.

[Tysha]

I'm sorry I shot you a little bit.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

I understand you had reason to be testy. That's a form you can rely on me to use should I ever come up alongside you while you're not expecting it again.

[Tysha]

Noted.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

He looks and says, I wanted to take you this far because you bear many of the relics of the Shongarten. And furthermore, your persuasiveness last night has led me to believe that this may be one of the most important events unfolding in our world. And rather than remain, I wished to at least accompany you as far as some determination about your safety would be made, rather than simply watching you take to a sky carriage and vanish into the dark night.

[Tysha]

May I offer you not quite a blessing, but a bit of my favor?

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Yes, you may.

[Tysha]

And I'm going to take out again. She just has a ton of little piercings and pulls one out and heats it in her hand. How do you feel about needles?

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Neutral. Ambiguous.

[Tysha]

Sweet. And then just trying to be quite quick about it. Is just going to pierce one of his elven ears with it.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Yeah, you pierce it. He goes ah, hot. Okay.

[Tysha]

And then without fully casting it to burn the spell slot, I will begin to cast locate object. So in the event that I ever need to find you again. Thank you.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

You see, he says, I will wear it in good health. He says, I do not claim to be your companion, nor in your trust, but I hope that you understand the sense in my position of not letting something this significant simply vanish without aid or help.

[Octys]

I. I appreciate it.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Thank you. I'll give you your space. And you see that he once again assumes the hawk form and just takes to the wing.

[Julian]

Give me so much those strange few days.

[Octys]

Yeah.

[Julian]

Shall we?

[Octys]

Yeah.

[Tysha]

Yeah.

[Octys]

Let's go.

[Julian]

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[Julian]

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[Julian]

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[Julian]

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[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

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[Julian]

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[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

and you guys walk and behold carrying the chest, carrying the smoking chest.

[Tysha]

Totally normal thing to do.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

As you trundle along up this dirt road heading towards Gawain, Girouin is a little riverside city. It has diminished due to its proximity to the eternal night. You see that there are sort of exterior farmhouses that used to be village, sort of like how little hamlets and thorps will add up to villages and towns that get to the city. There's farmers far away and these inner places where it would have been little hamlets and blacksmithy places and things like that as it gets closer to the larger city are abandoned and overrun these places. There's a lot of vines, a lot of abandoned homes and houses. As you get closer to Girouan you see that there are wooden palisades, some larger stone structures and basically that the city has ceded this middle territory of either we either need you out farming where farming is happening or come all the way into the center of the city. And as you see some of these palisades, you see that many of them do have places for being manned and that they face towards the east, towards the eternal night.

[Octys]

As we're walking. Can you hold that for a minute? Give me my half of the box. As he's walking, you see him gather energy in his hands, create this symbol of these two skeletal hands that are crossed like this inside this sigil he's making in the air and then brings it the to to his chest and you see these spectral an overlaying of a skeleton goes across octys form as he casts mage armor on himself to defend. Just be like, thank you.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

As you move through Julian, you've been through Gawain many times before. You see that you're on the eastern side of the river right now. The major castle of the House Volkschiff is up on the western side where the larger city is. The city used to be, I think, more equitable between both sides. But the river provides a natural defense from things coming out of the eternal night. And so the western side of the city, the western side of the river is a lot livelier. And you can see that has the traffic on the main highway coming from Riesen Girdle. That would head up to the golden orchard, up about 100 miles north into Tel Mora on the eastern side. However, you look over and see up on a hillside, probably over a league of travel into some more forested area, a massive ridge top wooden castle, like an old motte and bailey castle. Enormous wooden palisades built so quickly that it was built of wood rather than stone. And you see enormous beacon fires all throughout that are not lit, but are being rebuilt again for another night of keeping watch with the banner of the Barrowguard and the Revolutionary Council. Castle Torch.

[Julian]

Very well.

[Octys]

You lead on.

[Julian]

Well, if we plan to stay partially rested, let's inquire to see how much word has found its way this far. Any questions we have for perhaps Lady Hawksheff, if not at least the Captain, then lest we have any other reasons to stay and any other visions that come to you that causes our attention, then we will lead on to. Are you bringing us to the dark?

[Octys]

I thought you wanted to go to the Golden Orchard.

[Julian]

I do need to see if we are dividing paths soon.

[Octys]

I mean, what do you think? I mean, if we don't find Alagarh

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

here,

[Octys]

we'll have to make other plans. I think we have to accomplish this first before we know where we're going. Eventually I will end up probably having to go to the dark.

[Julian]

But let's ask. Let's see if we can find your son. Thank you, lady.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

You guys head. And where are you guys steering? Are you steering in the direction of Castle Torch? Are you headed to Garrawyn or are you headed. You see this road, by the way, Tycha? You know, goes to Castle Torch and then passes beyond that towards the eternal night, which you would actually know is the Shadowlight Waypoint. That was the place that you came through here, what, two weeks ago?

[Advertiser/Announcer]

God.

[Tysha]

Yeah, I think. Yeah. I'm naturally veering towards Castle Torch.

[Julian]

I'm already on that path as well.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Sweet. You guys ride up. And as you ride, you see Aranes looks to you and says, should we display colors here or no? We must. You will be known here.

[Julian]

I think if cautiously, and if we are met with any sort of strangeness, resistance, then there is no safe haven beyond our very own borders. There has to be a place that we can call friends,

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

she says it cannot all be lost. You see that? She waves her hand and behind her a trail of motes of golden light and flapping golden moths appears as you guys come up. So there's sort of the upper keep palisaded, but that also connects on a long bridge down to this even larger palisaded courtyard with multiple buildings in it, ramparts, Palisades, Taisha and Octys. You passed by here a few weeks ago. And Tycha, I'll ask, knowing that Alagar was stationed here a couple weeks ago, did you see him on your way to Venatus and on your way back?

[Tysha]

I think there was one meeting. He was probably out doing something on the secondary, like the second pass through, but yeah, especially in a world where you were able to disguise yourself as someone close to Octis. So I think you've met him before too.

[Octys]

Yeah, yeah. Close to Aligar.

[Tysha]

Yeah, yeah. Or sorry, close to Aligar. I confused my sons. Yeah. So I think we've, we, we saw him maybe on the way out.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Cool.

[Tysha]

And didn't catch him on the way back.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Didn't catch him on the way back. I think he probably was outranging at that point. He was doing his job, doing the job of the barrel guard.

[Tysha]

And we were hustling back trying to get to Thiazi. So we couldn't wait around.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Exactly. You guys approach. As you approach, the gate opens. And sort of standing there, you see walking out of the gate a tall, a very tall, very broad shouldered, very handsome, half orc that you don't recognize. But actually Julian, you realize is going to be a little bit funny here given your adventures in recent girdle. One of your fellow lord Knights of Castle Torch tasked with the training of these troops. A massive half orc orc knight, Sir Tonveld Kersingblad. Tanveld looks out and says, davinos, you have come back in one piece.

[Julian]

Kurzingblad. It has been a very interesting time indeed. Much stories to tell and much stories to swap. And I go up and clasp a hand together.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

He brings you in and gives you kind of a hard but a little bit wet kiss on the cheek. And he Goes this one. It is good to see you. And with the magnanimous Lady Erinessa Royce.

[Julian]

You see?

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

He bows deeply. And oh, one who walks the old path. And the mother of one of the greatest drinkers our barracks has ever known.

[Tysha]

The what?

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

I didn't say that.

[Tysha]

The what? Where is my son?

[Julian]

I said he was a talented soldier.

[Tysha]

I'll kill you.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

It was.

[Tysha]

Give me my son.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Now he turns to look and goes. He's much to my shame. And to his great fortune in the Barrow. There.

[Julian]

What has sent him into the shadows?

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

An order came down from Captain Luca. Not long actually. While they were in Venatus, when they were in the eternal night themselves. Your son was sent with the head ranger, Biesa Kagrikovlek. She had taken him off

[Julian]

drinker. You know this about me?

[Tysha]

I expected you to teach him sword fighting.

[Julian]

I do. I teach him many things.

[Tysha]

What other things have you taught my son?

[Julian]

Look, part of the process of learning to be a good soldier is learning to bond with your other.

[Tysha]

I push him, kind of take it back.

[Julian]

I don't resist it. Throw the cloak back and be like. Part of the training is to be deft with the weapon. The other is to trust your fellow soldiers. You are arm in arm in battle. Do not judge our way of bringing our soldiers hearts together.

[Tysha]

There were a lot of things he could have said to Alagar's mother about his talents. And you picked drinking.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

My mother is very proud of my drinking. I thought I have made a cultural faux pas. I apologize.

[Julian]

You're fine. She is a. I'm what?

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Drinking?

[Tysha]

I'm what?

[Julian]

Protective.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

All right. You see, he says. I only meant to say that he is stern of constitution and vitally.

[Vaelys]

Sir.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

I push you back a little bit, I take it.

[Julian]

See?

[Advertiser/Announcer]

Hello.

[Octys]

All right.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Welcome to Castle Torch. Thank you, sir. Davinos, these are your guests in company. And of course the Lady Royce, who has every reason to inspect the grounds.

[Julian]

Indeed, we would like to have a few conversations. At least have a little moment to catch our breath after an evening's travel and decide where our next adventure takes us. I take it if there's not too much business we might enter.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Please. Please come in and enter. You walk in and see rows of beauguard. You see some of them are running. You see that they have these heavy vests on that have these burlap sacks of pebbles and sand and they're running in them. You can see that up above them you see there's another knight calling out orders. You see that there's drills being Run in this massive courtyard, a keep is being sort of stacked up. You see in a corner, there's actually a wagon of the Candescent Creed here and that some filament is being unloaded from a carriage to castle torch and flags flying overhead. Anyone who wants to can make a history check for me. Julian, you would know all the information that a history check would reveal to you here in this place.

[Octys]

Wonderful. 22, 22, 22, 22.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

You look out here and see Octis, the Barrow Guard. Probably 80% of the soldiers you see here are human, orcish and Dwarven. There are some small folk here, gnomes and such like that, and sort of a handful of beast folk as well. It is a very interdisciplinary international gathering because it is made to address the issue of the Barrowdells. What separates this from a lot of more ancient or more storied institutions is the Barrowguard is relatively recent and it is relatively a religious meaning. It is not too stewarded by Druidic orders. The Barrowguard is basically like the world of mortals. Strength of arms and will to keep out what lurks within the Barrow Dells. That perhaps a few decades ago, as we heard Amada say, the hope might have been that within a generation the Barrowdells would be dispelled, the land would be uncursed and healed. And so the Barrowguard has been a great project of the Sundered houses with the Revolutionary Council and represents the pride of strength and military might of the assembled peoples of Ahriman to resist the monstrous things that lurk within these Barrow Dells where they, the gods, fell and cursed the land. But it also represents, sadly, a lot of effort that no longer believes in the promise of the Druids to heal the land. And I wonder how much of that is on Tysha's face, as this is where her son has come to serve.

[Tysha]

Tyche is definitely very creative, clearly displacing a lot of anxiety into bickering with Julian.

[Julian]

Julian, at this point too is keeping note of the various contingents of training soldiers as they go by. When he's acknowledged in passing and a few recognition looks of recognition pass gives a nod, sees one of the training elite soldiers and glances over him. Vendala, it's been a minute. How you are?

[Advertiser/Announcer]

How are you doing?

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Doing very well, sir Julian, how are you?

[Julian]

I'm doing well. I'm doing well. Keep their knees high. Tis early in the morning. You want to wear them out by lunch.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

She nods and says, we'll try to get them as tired out as we can. But then again, without you here, they've all gotten a good night's sleep.

[Tysha]

Please let me inside. Check that.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Yeah, please stay right.

[Julian]

I beg of you. I'll kind of give a slight sly grin and say that makes one of us.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

She says I don't need to.

[Tysha]

Insight. Check that. I get it now.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

She says, I'm a little too rested.

[Octys]

Octis can't blush anymore, so you just seem kind of going.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

As she walks walking past, you see Erinessa takes your arm. Tysha, and goes, what the hell is going on? We're paying for all this. Yeah.

[Tysha]

This is just an example of your Beernerman making a fuck castle.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

She looks, she looks, she looks and says, it is not a fuck castle. It is a shield of the world of mortals against the darkness without. I'm so sorry.

[Vaelys]

Is this a fuck castle? Is that what you said? Yeah, that sounds wonderful.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

I'm sorry. Malik Field.

[Octys]

They're into a fuck castle.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

As you walk across the courtyard, as you walk across the court, you're approaching the central gatehouse that goes across this massive bridge that goes to the upper keep, basically spanning these two hills on this ridge, top, side by side. So this bridge is basically like if worst were to come to it, this bridge could be intentionally destroyed and just drop in between these two hills to leave this central keep up on this very, very steep hilltop. Looking at the approach to this gatehouse. Anyone who wants to give me skill checks as you're trying to get a lay of the land in here. Perception, insight, whatever you'd want to do. Walking over to you, you look over and see approaching from that clandestine creed wagon, Julian Circastly Neural approaches and you can see that he has some glowing tattoos on his wrist in filament as he approaches and goes. Sir. Julian.

[Julian]

Ser Noral.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

It's good to see you. I take it you've returned from the business of the funeral.

[Julian]

Yes. It has been a complicated number of days. I see you are bringing quite a shipment of filament into the castle.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

The time has come to arm ourselves with all of the tools at our disposal. I was more than happy to speak to Captain Phaedra and arrange for this to happen just in time for candle feast.

[Julian]

Very well. Is Captain Phaedrun within?

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Yes, in the highkeep. It is a pleasure to have you back here once more. What are people rolling?

[Octys]

Perception 18. I'm just looking around and seeing what I see.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

As the gate closes behind you, the red tailed hawk overhead peels off towards the shadow light waypoint and on an 18 is 1. I think you just see a busy castle that doesn't appear overwhelmingly. I think after so much running and harrowingness, the fact that you guys are just visiting as companions of a lady of a sundered house couldn't be more normal.

[Octys]

Yeah, and I'm also keeping an eye to see if anyone's giving me any strange looks, seeing as we did just encounter people who take the apartment appearance of others and anyone paying special attention to me in a way that is suspicious and not just, oh, new people are here.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

I think on an 18 perception, you don't see anyone looking at you weird. And also without any really visible insignia. No one's really clocking you as a Taconus here. You also see too, Julian, by virtue of his last name, is one of the commanders of the this garrison, call it. Over 95% of the people in this place are commoners. The Barrow Guard is from the common folk of the land, right? This is people that heard the call and have come to do what they think is right. Protect the lands. The reason you see that there's mostly orcs, dwarves and humans here is because the places that are affected by the eternal night are like the lands of dwarves and humans. And there are a lot of orcs in Kahad that would want to come here and help that maybe don't have a predilection. If you think about all the orcs that don't have to put it bluntly, the wisdom to be a Druid or the charisma to be a Paladin, there are a lot of people that still want to help. Yeah, yeah, okay. Yeah. Bayless.

[Vaelys]

I was doing a perception check because I wanted to see where Hanon was.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

What did you get on your p?

[Vaelys]

I got a 15.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

15. You see the hawk take off towards the shadow light waypoint?

[Octys]

Okay.

[Tysha]

I only got an 11 because I just realized that I have to ask Julian a very, very weird question about his training my son. So I'm not looking around anymore. How closely have you trained my son, sir? Julian,

[Julian]

you have to clarify your insinuation.

[Tysha]

Do I?

[Julian]

I have.

[Tysha]

We're close to a bridge, right?

[Julian]

Your son is an extremely talented soldier. I have been a mentor to him, like I have many soldiers here. I have not fucked your son.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Dang. Erinessa goes. All right, well, let's get into the castle.

[Octys]

This is so bizarre.

[Vaelys]

Bayless is just really loving being in this uncomfortable situation.

[Julian]

As before we enter, mate, I ask for at least respecting decorum here. These are people who have given their lives to the defense of all of your lands.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Yes.

[Julian]

And also understand, once again,

[Tysha]

we do

[Julian]

not grind people into bastions of war here. We teach them the art of warfare and prepare them against the darkness by an appreciation of life. Sometimes that comes with some celebration. So do not be so quick to judge and catch the star.

[Tysha]

I'm just gonna judge if that's the first thing they lead with.

[Octys]

I did a terrible impersonation of Cursingblad.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Well, you see that.

[Octys]

That worked.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

This is. This is one of Cursingblad's cousins. Oh, okay. So this is. This is not Ehrlich.

[Vaelys]

No, dude, that was way.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Let me be so clear. I've made a mistake. Erlik Kurzingblad is absolutely off doing some wild shit somewhere else.

[Advertiser/Announcer]

Really?

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Confersingblad is. Yeah. You see, Tonvel looks and says, I do not think I have ever placed my foot so deep into the back of my throat before.

[Julian]

Do not hold it against yourself. At the very least, take it as a lesson, a learning experience. To put just a moment of thought before speaking to anyone's mother, should any mother come to the castle under any circumstances. Give pause, take a moment and just deeply consider what can be said. For none are as fiercely protective and ready to dole out vengeance in a mother.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

He nods. I understand this. I owe you an apology, my lady Tysha. Your Holiness, I. My mother is an orc of Gjalfi, far to the northwest. And it is very common for a mother to give a young boy or girl that is rambunctious or strong willed to give a liquor or drink when they are perhaps six or seven years of age. And to be a proficient drinker by the age of 14 is seen as.

[Tysha]

Is this an apology or a justification? Because it's fine that my son is good at drinking. He got that from his mother. Maybe. If he's risking his life every day. That's not the thing you lead with.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

He's not risking it every day. Sometimes we go to town.

[Vaelys]

I think you should keep going.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

I will leave.

[Julian]

Take the loss.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Be on your way.

[Vaelys]

I didn't know someone could stick their foot so far down.

[Octys]

Yeah, I've never seen anyone at their side.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Kicking yourself in the stomach from that.

[Vaelys]

See the toes?

[Tysha]

They were just wiggling.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Wiggling back there. Going through the gatehouse and crossing the enormous bridge, rushing up, you see, actually on horseback to the gate and leaping off and running over is your staff sergeant. This is Donald Fletcher.

[Julian]

Fletcher. Fletcher.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Come here, Fletcher. He gives you a big hug. He says, roy, and how you feeling there, Lord Good to see you back. How was that? Dull market? You had to put it into the filthy fucking yar grass, did you?

[Julian]

No, no, I don't touch the stuff anymore. I have a more refined palate these days. At least when celebrating an event is.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

He looks and sees Erinessa beside you, who's looking over at Fletcher and just looks and says, apologies, milady, I don't. And she looks over, you see that Eriness is giving you a look here. I just wanted you to know that while you were away, He holds out some official documents of the Barrowguard that has your signature on it a couple of times. And he just goes, is that all right? I wanted to wait until you were back, but I had already sent some these off. Is that all?

[Julian]

We will have to discuss this challenge to my authority. Any kind of winks and nudges. I am very disappointed in you.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Oh, I've misstepped, that's true. And I am sorry. And you see that? He looks out and says, you see? He turns off again as you approach the bridge towards the high keep.

[Octys]

I don't mean to say this is not an insult, but I've never seen this many. I've never seen this many people like you.

[Tysha]

It's weird.

[Julian]

It's interesting to be around people who thrive, isn't it?

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Yeah.

[Octys]

Anyway, not all of us are born lucky.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Walking into the massive keep atop the second hill, you enter into the space in broad bright daylight. And this area has a very small courtyard. And you see that it appears that there's an old stone fortification that was like a watchtower here a long time ago that has had wood and some stone built out from it. No, great hall, this is not. This is all the way on the slider from palace to castle, all the way to castle. There's nothing here to hold a gala. This is not a gala type thing. This is purely a fortune fortress. In this opening chamber though, you see that there is a fireplace that hasn't been lit yet. It's still daytime. But walking out is an older knight, you see. Gray beard, graying around the whiter towards the bottom and then back into a darker brown as it goes up. Human Knight, this is Captain Luca Phaedron. Captain Phaedron looks over at you.

[Julian]

Captain.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Ser Julian. Pleasure to have you back at Castle Torch. My lady Erinessa, you see, he takes her hand, bows, kisses her hand. Welcome to your castle Torch. Ouch. And she looks and nods in assent. Over Luca's shoulder you see the last of the lord knights of Castle Torch. Dame Gaia. Saramai. You see that she has her arms crossed behind her sort of deep rich brown skin, hair tied back in a tight braid that can be quickly coiled around for combat. A very light looking dark half plate on her body and you can see that there is the end of a snake's tail coming out of her wrist. A tattoo of a snake's tail here. And you can see the coils come up around her neck and end with the serpent's head on the underside of her chin. And you have to wonder how much of her body that serpent covers.

[Vaelys]

Oh, I'm wondering

[Julian]

for those who need to.

[Tysha]

Well played. Well played. I like here in the fuck.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Yeah, that was the joke. It's a whole time, this whole place, I'm calling it that. It's like real Olympic village energy here.

[Octys]

Bring me one of those cardboard beds

[Tysha]

that didn't stop anything.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

I think Baelus, looking here in this place, the amount of gregariousness from the mortals here, the amount of frivolity. Julian has not struck you as a man who gives commoners a pass or a light touch. And the name Fletcher is a commoner's name. And those two men embraced and laughed like brothers. There is a feeling in the air here of kind of primal, deep rooted in the loins embrace of life. And you look out, I think to the east and see a sky that should be blue, festooned with stars. It is unsettling, it is uneasy. And there is something here of looking at. There's something tummy made a noise, made a noise looking at a rend in the world that should be. It's so funny because the stars are shining bright. It's somewhat beautiful. And yet the beauty of that nighttime sky across the horizon as the rest is sitting in day and the sun is ascendant as noon approaches. That beautiful streak of nighttime is an old open wound, a laceration on the face of Ahriman. And everyone here knows it. So they drink and embrace and speak a little louder than normal here in this place. You see that Dame Gaia holds her chin up looking at you, Julian, turning out to embrace everything. What is Octis doing in this moment as you approach

[Octys]

Octys? I think this whole time has been staying behind the two of you been going through and behind Erinassa standing next to Velas, feeling very out of place here in a very different way, but just being like I'm just going to be here till we land somewhere. He's just keeping an eye out for his own personal safety and protection, but also just observing How Julian interacts with everybody and just being very interested in how this placeit is very different from where he grew up and different from the Pentevral and just seeing how other people live.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Yeah. Anyone who wants to give me an insight to check right now, as Captain Phaedron looks and says, my Lady Royce, what brings you here to Castle Torch? She looks and says to return Julian, who has guided me to Dolmakyar. And she turns to you here, Julian, what do we get for insight checks? 6. 6.

[Vaelys]

12.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

12.

[Tysha]

13.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

13. You see that? Erinys looks to you and says, and to wonder if may we speak in private? He says, let us withdraw. And you guys walk into the war room with him and he dismisses. I think he actually goes ahead and dismisses everybody but Gaia behind him and turns to look at you and says, well, welcome one and all of you to Castle Torch. Your companion, Ser Julian Tycha. It's good to see you again.

[Tysha]

Good to see you.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Your son is still on his outing. Has not returned yet, you see. Turns over and says, and your other companions?

[Julian]

This is Arctistaconis, youngest of House Daconis.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Ah, is this a formal inspection by the Sundered?

[Octys]

Oh, no, it is not. I am here of my own and traveling with friends.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Oh, you see? He just looks at Erinessa and Octys being in the same place and says, well, a Lord and lady of the Great Houses. It is an honor.

[Octys]

Thank you. It's an honor to be here.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Hello.

[Vaelys]

I am Vaelys of the Mournvale.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Welcome to Castle Torch. It is an honor to have you.

[Advertiser/Announcer]

Thank you.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

He turns to how long are you planning to stay? Are you simply stopping by on your your way? He looks and says, and where are your men at arms? He looks to Erinassa.

[Julian]

We are to stay, possibly just a short time. Our business may continue. Onward. What word have you heard from the execution of Thiazi Fang in Dolmarkiar?

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Simply that it took place. We received a pigeon, I think two or three days ago that the execution took place. He looks at Octys and Erinessa and looks at Tycha and you see, he says, it is of course good to understand that there was family there, for what was ruled by chamber of Lord's advisory need be done. And while we stand ever loyal to the lords and ladies of the great Houses, I will ensure that on Alagar's return he is given time to engage with what customs he and you deem best. My Lady Tycho. And he looks and I think even with no insight Check. You can see that he's looking at a motley fucking crew.

[Octys]

Yeah.

[Julian]

Have you heard anything else surrounding these events? Has any word come to Castle Torch or glances over looking very intently towards Dame Saramai and Captain Phadrin. Any other events that have transpired in Dolmakiar since.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Since the execution of Thiazi Fang? No. No.

[Vaelys]

Insight check.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Give me insight. Check. Yeah.

[Octys]

I'm going to look too

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

nice.

[Tysha]

Nope.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

2311. On a 23. On a 23, you're looking at Captain Phaedrin who appears to be telling the the truth. Even you guys, rolling up like they opened the gates. You guys walked in. He seems to have heard that this execution happened. You see, he even looks at his desk and says here it's in report. And you see, he looks at it. The report that Thiazi's dead is in a bulletin from the Revolutionary Council. It's like a bullet point. It's like Thiazi's execution is on like five other bits of news, many of which are more in depth. Another one is we are looking to establish a northward. It's about the northward excursion for Ferret, for the Northern Guard. But he's just looking at business.

[Vaelys]

Do I get a ping of anything if I'm allowed to?

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Dame on a 23? You absolutely do.

[Tysha]

She.

[Vaelys]

Dame Gaia.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Did you say Dame Gaia? Saramai.

[Vaelys]

Saramai.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

She. Cannot break her gaze from Octis until she notices you looking and then she looks away. She's got a few little beads of sweat around the hairline.

[Vaelys]

I just sort of try to nonchalantly try to get in his path of vision so she doesn't have to stare at him too long.

[Julian]

Captain Phaedrun, I know that we have not always had the most synchronistic opinions of how we run things with the Bereroguard, but I would like to think I've earned a modicum of your respect enough to understand that what I say here is absolute truth and with great influence to keep close to your heart.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Very well. On that insight, you can see Captain Phaedron is putting it all together. Erinessa should be here with a guardian pixie. She should be here with 30 men at arms and Carriages and supplies. You know she should.

[Julian]

Texa, would you do the honor of locking the doors?

[Tysha]

Done. Yeah. And I'll go and do it by hand.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

You go and bar the door. As you bar the door, you look and see Phaedra and says, is everything all right? What is the meaning of this, Julian?

[Julian]

It appears that the sundered Houses have experienced a rather serious and growing rift. Aside from this young Taconis here, that house has turned against House Royce and Davinas, the majority of each of which have been slain.

[Tysha]

What?

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

You see that Gaia is looking and just makes eye contact with Euractis in this moment.

[Octys]

Who are you,

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

my lord? What do you mean?

[Octys]

You seem to have a particular interest in me. More so. More so than seems to be required. Who are you?

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

I. I'm me. I am your vassal knight, my lord. She turns and says, I don't understand. You see that? Phaedrun says, please. Dame Saramai has done nothing to warrant anyone's ill favor.

[Octys]

They are sweating.

[Tysha]

Can I make difference a I check on her now?

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Yeah, go ahead and give me one now. Okay.

[Tysha]

Dirty 20.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

She is frightened and doesn't know what's happening. And this is news to her.

[Tysha]

Copy.

[Octys]

Cool.

[Julian]

Needless to say,

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Royce and Venus have. What do you mean, fallen? Erinassus says, not completely, but our number was attacked. Our men at arms were imprisoned in reason girdle, and we have no idea what is the fate of the Golden Orchard.

[Julian]

General Reimann fell as part of this assault, this ambush, as well as all of House Divinus and Royce that had attended with us to Dolmakiar. We are the only survivors of that journey, and we beseech any opportunity to hear if the Golden Orchard is safe, but also to let you know that if we have been targeted, it is no telling who else the next target of Housetaconis may be, or what their aims may be to manipulate or utilize this Berylguard to their interests. In the future, should this unity between these hundred houses be challenged.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

This is I. You see that? He looks at Erinessa and Erinessa says, I understand your confusion, Captain. You behold a Royce and a Taconis. As House Royce informs you that House Taconis has attempted to end our line. This is difficult to navigate for us, and we have had days to process the feelings of betrayal, fear, panic and horror at what we beheld. If you are stumbling because you do not know what to do, I remind you your greatest authority is the Gray Tower of Dolmakyar and the Revolutionary Council. It is the Council to whom the Berylguard owes their utmost loyalty. And while the sundered Houses are ever honored by the welcome we receive in these castles due to our generosity in helping to build them, know that your command is given solely by the Council. And you see, there's a bit of Captain Lucca. You know There's a real feeling of confused loyalty at what you're saying. So Eriness is sort of, you can see, trying to remind him. Don't get confused. She turns to you, Octus, and says. Erinassus says, do you wish to speak to your vassal?

[Octys]

I apologize for singling you out.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

You see, the Dame Saramai says, I do not know. I do not know of what you speak, my lord, this is not possible. House Taconis would not betray. And if they did, you, my lord, would you?

[Octys]

Good. Unfortunately, I made the mistake of forming friendships outside of our house, which caused them to consider me untrustworthy. It is true what they are saying, and I apologize. I am seeing now that you do not know, or did not know. I have had unfortunate interactions with my family these last couple of days. Apologies for being more than a little

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

suspicious,

[Octys]

but it is true.

[Julian]

So

[Octys]

you have some decisions to make.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

You see that? Captain Phaedron turns and says, dame Saramai, can you produce the last instructions you were given from House Taconis, please? She is looking and says, I. I think I have failed greatly, my lord.

[Octys]

What did you do? Please explain.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

The ladies of your house were here some more than a week ago. They came truly not long after you were last here, my lord, venturing into Vanadis.

[Octys]

Yes.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

They came and demanded that I give a missive signed by the Gray Tower. I asked for it and they said that they had lost the missive and that it would be all right to simply communicate it to Captain Phaedrin. And you see that the captain lowers his face into his hands here in disbelief. She says, I had no reason to doubt, my liege. Ladies, they told me to inform that the Gray Tower needed an excursion at once to Tanasar. You see, Captain Phaedron says, this was the excursion. This is where Beerza is headed. And you see that? She looks and says, I had no reason to doubt them. They said simply that the letter itself had been misplaced. The 3rd Battalion was sent under the command of our head ranger into the night.

[Octys]

Tish is exactly where Tycha.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

You know who's in the 3rd Battalion?

[Julian]

Yeah, indeed.

[Tysha]

Tasha is stock still.

[Octys]

So you're telling me that a bunch of your men and friends were sent to the realm of eternal night by my sisters?

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Yes.

[Octys]

With no documentation present?

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

No, they.

[Julian]

When did they leave?

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

You see, she looks back and says, a week ago, more or less. She looks and says, they had already left by the time you had returned from Venatus. That would have been, I think, a week ago at this point.

[Tysha]

And it did not occur to you to say something?

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Then it is no, it did not occur to me to.

[Octys]

I understand. Understand. It is not your fault. What were you going to do? And why would you suspect them? A member of the vassal house to

[Julian]

my family, you are following the chain of command appropriately, though perhaps a bit loosely.

[Tysha]

If you need me to extend any grace to your fucked hierarchy, I will not. My son is in.

[Octys]

I was not asking you to. But I understand that it is not their specific fault.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

You see that? Captain Phaedron stands up and says, Enough. With respect. Chains of command become tangled when there is more than one. We have been struggling with this for too long, my lady. And you see he gives this right to Aranessa. He says, dame Saramai, you are relieved of your station in Castletorch. We respectfully beg the forgiveness of the circle of ancients in this moment. And moreover, Dame Saramai, in matters of your house's honor, are you given leave to follow the direct commands of the members of House Taconis? You commanded the Barrowguard, whose sole authority is given to the Revolutionary Council. You see that here? She says, we've taken commands from the Houses before. And you see that? I think Tycha, you just look and see a mess, as Phaedran even recognizes that occasionally the sundered houses will deliver missives from a gray tower that is only too happy to let them. You see that? She turns, weeping, looks to you, Octys, and bows curtly towards Captain Phaedrin and says, given that I am removed from my station, may I be excused?

[Vaelys]

Where are you going to go?

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

I don't know.

[Tysha]

I'm still standing in front of the locked door.

[Octys]

If you'd be so kind as to remain here. Take a seat while I consider what the best course of action is.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

She sits, lowering her gaze down.

[Octys]

I apologize, I say to the commander.

[Tysha]

We need to go. My son is in danger.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Yes,

[Octys]

I don't disagree.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

You see that? The dame looks out and says,

[Julian]

all right.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Head ranger was given to understand that there was a ruins outside of the this is outside of the Terrie of Ya, which you guys would know is an ancient Obra Demian highway towards Venatus some two or three days march into the desert, that there was an infestation of undead that was brimming over, that some warlocks from Venatus had come to loose them, had discovered them and come to loose them, that they would ravage the land and come seeking the light and the flesh of mortal beings. They were headed there in numbers to go and stop them. But the order was also given to hold the location and to prevent any warlocks from interfering with the magic below. Bierza asked me how she would be able to tell whom. And the command was given to allow none entrance to the site in order

[Octys]

to get a contingent of them out of the way to empty this place. How much are still stationed here versus how many left?

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

You see that? Looking out, you see Captain Phaedrus says the first and second, we are more or less at two thirds of our fighting strength. Why do that,

[Julian]

Captain?

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Ser Julian?

[Julian]

These soldiers, many of which I personally trained, I wish to not see more that I care about be slaughtered by the interests of Takonis machinations. We will make our way in the path of the High Ranger. I inquire if there is a path to forgiveness for Saramai. If perhaps they are charged with scouting for us on this mission.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Sikaya looks up at you. You see that, Captain Phaedron says. He shrugs and says, the Dame Saramai. Is no longer under my command. And he looks over at you, Octus.

[Octys]

I think that's a good idea.

[Julian]

Then give to your command to the Cornice.

[Vaelys]

Tysha. Do you think that's a good idea?

[Tysha]

Yes.

[Octys]

Dame Saramah, you are going to accompany me on my journey.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

I will do what it takes to reclaim my honor. Good. You see that? Yeah. She looks out. I think. Octys Gaia Saremai is not a name you've ever heard.

[Octys]

No.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

And she is herself a cousin of one of your vassal houses. She looks out from here and you see that? Captain Phadrin says you had mentioned that you knew not what befell the Golden Orchard. Have you been able to send word to them?

[Julian]

I have attempted. Unfortunately. As we briefly had sanctuary in the company of Lord Anfazen, Teconis had gotten word to him as well. And we had to flee before the complications prevented us from leaving their borders.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

You believe that House Einfassen is involved in this conspiracy?

[Julian]

Not involved, but at least tangled in the confusion of it. And we do not have time to deal with such political bullshit. So just be wary.

[Octys]

The sisters who visited you and gave this order were at Casteline Fawzen when we left. So they are not far. And they are looking to accomplish whatever they are meaning to accomplish.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

He looks and says, I cannot imagine they will return. With respect to House Taconis, the coming of the Lady Petra and Lady Raya was the first time that a member of House Taconus had seemed the least interested in the deeds of the Barrowguard.

[Octys]

This Is not an un. Yes, I understand your point.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

You know the Tiriyevija will be policed by Taconis. They walk within the endless night at very little cost to themselves. They fear that dead. Not at all.

[Julian]

I know some of us are counting on it.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

He looks and says, if you are to make your way at once. Obviously. Julian. Horses. Whatever you need. But you know that animals don't tend to fare well in the night. If you need travel at least once, you have my blessing. He looks and says, I would offer more men, but we are already diminished in number.

[Julian]

No, we travel faster as a small group. And keep who you can to defend. Just in the worst case scenario, I'll tell a second. And should you be approached by any wayward, conflicting intent to Konissa, otherwise, do what is best for you and your men.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

I appreciate that it is.

[Octys]

I'm not going to tell you to lie or in any way do anything against your nature. But I feel like it would be the best for everyone if you had not seen me.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

My lord. Lord Taconus, I am not given to lie. I. If I were an adept at the game of politics, I would not have been placed in charge of Castle Torch. I will speak the truth, which is that I did not have station to hold you.

[Julian]

Great.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

And I dismissed one of my warriors for not saying the truth.

[Julian]

You see?

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

He gazes at her.

[Octys]

Here

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

to give an order on behalf of your liege house is one thing to claim that you had seen the missive to lie on their behalf. This is the crime, Gaia. You see that? She looks and can't refute it. He regards you here and says, I would ask in the future should I ever see you again. Gaia, you do more to keep the tongue of your house less forked. He stands and says, but you have taken no resources from Castletorch, and I do not have the authority to hold you. That is what I will tell anyone if I am asked.

[Julian]

Good.

[Octys]

That is good.

[Julian]

Yes, if you can. My other request would be to, as it is necessary, given redundancy requirement, please send what word you can as fast as you can to Golden Orchard to inform House Royce in our stead or pass along a message from Lady Royce of what has happened. They must know what befell the House and what comes for them if we are to not head and glances over towards Lady Erinessa and makes her icon and says, if we are not to split for the Golden Orchard at this moment, then they must be confirmed to be notified.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

You see, as you look at Erinessa, you can see she hasn't spoken in a minute. Because as she realizes that the plan is to go into the eternal night, you can see that she is struggling.

[Julian]

Unless. Unless you head to the Golden Orchard to be with those there and see what has befallen. If you do not wish to follow us into the dark,

[Octys]

I would not blame you.

[Vaelys]

I think you should come.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

I beg your pardon?

[Vaelys]

I think we need you.

[Tysha]

She

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

looks out and I think she actually goes to you, Tycha, and goes. We have flown through the night and have yet to eat. You see, Captain Phaedron says, this conversation remains here in this room. We have been speaking of your travels. Nothing unusual. Get yourselves to the mess, eat and make your plans. Castle Torch is here at your disposal. You see that? Erinessa stands up and Gaia falls in behind you. Arctis. The door open, opens. Erinessa is just looking across the bridge as she walks beside you, looking at Vaylis looking at you. Tycha, she says, and looking at Julian going, what should I do?

[Tysha]

I would never want to see harm come to you. But you stand at the edge of the destruction of your house. You have lost greatly in less than a week. Nessa. Who are you now?

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

I. There was a world where we walked through the gates of Castle Torch and it was yet another trap, yet another. Another frying pan to jump out of. Julian, I need to speak. I need to. You see that? She stops in the middle of the bridge looking at these beautiful hillsides and stands here and says just for a moment, looks at you and wags like a reproachful finger at you.

[Julian]

I take her finger in her hand like, what do you need?

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Because what if we opened the door and there were more to Konus in here and the whole world had gone mad and I was a beggar woman running for my life. My house was destroyed. This has made everything more complicated. The fact that there's someone honest in the world actually makes this all so much more confusing indeed.

[Julian]

But if what you say is true and that was the case, then all will be lost anyway. We still have to try.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

But now, Julian. Now do we? Do we? She just looks at you and says, tycha, I would do anything to make sure that the beautiful young boy that still. That still, frankly, my nephew is all right and I should ride out with you. But if Castle Torch hasn't heard that the Golden There was a world where we would come here and they would say the orchard had fallen and they haven't heard anything, which means that it's still in the mist out There. Julian. Should we ride north to make sure your mother, your sister. I mean, we shouldn't have to choose between your son and your sister. But there's something. The whole world's been thrown into chaos, and yet some parts of it still stand. And that's somehow even worse because it means we have to make a choice.

[Tysha]

You always had to make a choice. And the world was always chaos. It's just touching you now.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

She melts and literally just collapses, crouching on her before she fully. She just goes. When you've lost half of everything, what's right and what's wrong,

[Julian]

I say we choose both.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

No.

[Julian]

You go to the orchard. You protect what's left. Or come back to tell everyone what's not. I go and bring home the souls that I taught to use a blade before they were sent to this unearned end.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

She looks at this wooden castle that was a naked old watchtower next to an empty hilltop less than two years ago, and she looks and says, you love this place, Julian. What did you find here?

[Julian]

A purpose.

[Tysha]

It's easy to run from. It's harder to run to.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Captain Phaedra. In a moment. I need to speak with you. There's another matter at hand to discuss. She leans in to you, Julian, and embraces you and buries her face in your neck. Oh, sweet little Julian. I remember. And you see that she touches the hilt of your rapier where she knows your tooth is. She cries and says, The web of our lives brought each other such pain and shame that I wish had not been there. But I love you. You are my cousin, my protector, my brave knight. This woman. Is a sister to me. In a different life, we would have seen each other every day, and

[Julian]

our

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

children would have grown up together. And instead, the world conspired for that not to be. So please guard her. Her life, her son, as you would me. I promise. Do I disappoint you, my lady?

[Julian]

No.

[Vaelys]

That is not the word that I would use.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

She takes the Druid in.

[Vaelys]

I want to insight check her. I want to insight check her.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Go for it.

[Vaelys]

Ooh, that's really good, 24.

[Tysha]

Let's go. I.

[Vaelys]

I want to know if what she's saying feels true. Something doesn't feel right about her to me.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

What doesn't feel right about her to you?

[Vaelys]

I don't think she's telling the truth.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

You look at her, what do you think she's not telling the truth about? What is the.

[Vaelys]

That's what I can't figure out. I feel like there's Something she's holding back and I can't figure it out.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Ashley on a 23. I'm going to let you come around behind the screen and see what I rolled for her charisma. Check. I won't say if it's persuasion or deception.

[Octys]

Fun. I like this.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

That's what I rolled for her.

[Vaelys]

Okay.

[Tysha]

I've never been so stressed out in my life.

[Julian]

What's going on?

[Tysha]

I don't know. I need a trusted adult.

[Vaelys]

I know I'm not being specific in what I'm looking for. No, for sure, because I don't know. But something is not making sense to me about her story

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

in this moment. You look at her looking hard for a liar. You've been watching her for a while. She reaches around her neck, takes off the spring charm and says. Well, if disappointed is not the right word. Word. Let me offer some counsel. My family earned the favor of the lords and lady of Faerie, the beautiful Archfey of Hallow, before memory, before written history. And we lived in a golden orchard. So even though I am mortal and you are not, we share the blessings of the fairies. I know this is a Druidic charm. My understanding of the old path, to which I am ever faithful, is that you are a part of the family of all things. I know that in your life, faith was asked of you. This requires no faith. It is simply true that you are my family. And she hands the Druidic charm to you. You do not need to believe in it for it to be true. That we share one source of life in this world, that is both of our homes. On that insight to check, I will take it.

[Vaelys]

But I do not put it on

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

she. You realize why she's registering as a liar to you? Erinessa has never told you a lie? Erinessa is. A woman who has inherited one of the greatest centers of power in the world and has been tumbling down the hillside of her own life for longer than she can remember, at the mercy of compacts and alliances made by her mother and predecessors. A world shaped by a war she was not alive for, who married one of the most troublesome and strong willed adventurers that ever lived. The reason she's registering to you as a liar is not that she is some secret villain, nor that she wished to see the downfall of her own house. Behind her eyes is one of the largest secrets you have ever beheld. And though you cannot see through the fog of what she holds dear, there is something at the center of her heart that she has kept hers in great pain. To her for a long, long time. You are not being lied to. And you do not think that this woman has been the architect of her own, or Julian, or Tysha's, or Octis? Misery.

[Vaelys]

Safe travels.

[Julian]

Safe travels, Captain. If you can spare at least two bodyguards to accompany Rhaady Royce to the north, the rest of the men are yours. But

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

you see, he looks and says,

[Julian]

two, of course, will be done.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

You see, you hear a voice say, could you make that three? And you see that Sir Tonfeld looks and says, I have been walking in a small circle, feeling great shame. And I would be. I would love to reclaim my honor. If the Lady Eronessa is of significance to her Holiness, she of the circle of ancients, it would be my honor to see her defended.

[Tysha]

I'll give him a little pat on the cheek. You're a good boy.

[Julian]

Cursing blacks, isn't it?

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

I know.

[Julian]

So fucking cool.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

He says, I accept this quest from she, a druid of the old path. And no spirit shall pass my lips until it is scene done. She kneels and bows.

[Tysha]

I want to give Erinessa a big hug. And then, just in that embrace, forehead to forehead, you are my sister. And if before we meet again, you find yourself in a wood with an old and well trod path before you, walk it proudly, and I will find

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

you in this life for the next.

[Tysha]

Okay.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

In this life for the next, my sister. And she kisses your cheek. She looks at you, Octys, finally. And reaches once again into her belongings and just rushes up and embraces you. Holds you close.

[Octys]

Sorry, it's cold over here.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

You hear a plinking metallic noise as she places a thumb piano completely non magical, into your belongings.

[Tysha]

Thank you.

[Octys]

As someone who is no longer part of the family of life that binds

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

everything,

[Octys]

do not leave that family before I see you again.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Well, my sweet young lord. To Konis. To a day when we see each other and restore what has been taken from our houses. Yeah. And if you ever can't go home, if I still have one, it's open to you.

[Octys]

I appreciate that. Thank you, my lady.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

She turns to Captain Phaedrun. And all of you turn. It is slightly past noon. You have half a day if you wish to make good time.

[Tysha]

Yeah.

[Octys]

We should eat and then leave.

[Julian]

Indeed, yes.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Julian.

[Vaelys]

Is this a safe place? Place to send a letter?

[Julian]

This is as safe as any. If this place is not safe, no place is safe.

[Octys]

Okay.

[Vaelys]

I do have a letter that I would like to send back to my sisters.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

You penned the letter?

[Vaelys]

Something I've actually been working on at night.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Yeah.

[Vaelys]

And I would like to send it to my sisters. And it says, I found what is ours, and I have it in my possession. And I found something else, so I am going to follow that thread. And also I have questions about a woman I am traveling with named Aranessa Royce. So if there is any information that you can gather, I will see you when I see you. And the letter is written in giant.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Hmm.

[Vaelys]

And I will fold it up and send that to the Mournviel.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Captain Phaedron takes it and says, I can give this safe passage to a ship bound for the Mournvale. It will travel slowly. We have no roosting pigeons here that know to call the Mournvale home, so it will take some. Some time, my lady.

[Vaelys]

Understood.

[Julian]

Before Erinnessa ends up fighting into her path, I stop her and hand on the shoulder, get club close to her face. Find the Maia. Find Alba. But at the first sign of any danger or any sign of it being too late, you return here under the protection of the Captain until we come back together again. Okay.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

You will stop back here on your return, yes? Of course.

[Julian]

Yes.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

All right.

[Julian]

My family grows in about the day. I will not lose you.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

No, I would not inflict that on you, Julian. For you, I will remain.

[Julian]

Good. I'll hold you to that.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Be the last woman that got held by you around here. That's my sister. You see? You all eat. Swiftly nerves rising. Dame Gaia, or not all of you, I suppose. Dame Gaia by your side and ride forth from the gates of Castle Torch, headed to the eternal night. And that's all for this episode.

[Octys]

Uncritically rolled.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

That's fine. That's fine.

[Vaelys]

Everything is a mess.

[Advertiser/Announcer]

Riding.

[Octys]

I just go. So what is it you do, actually?

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Cool.

[Julian]

Just going to the Barada.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

It's fine, it's fine. It's fine. Dude, we're going to where? It's so bad. I'm so excited. Yeah. Ooh. How about it?

[Tysha]

I'm like, for.

[Brennan Lee Mulligan]

Yeah, I know. I really wanna. This is from the heart. Is it Thursday? I'm gonna play. Thanks for listening to this episode of Critical Role. If you're enjoying this story, consider leaving a review on your podcast platform of choice. We're always looking for new critters to share our adventures with, and your review may help a new batch of wayward souls find their way to Ahriman, Exandria and beyond. Or if you want to hear what the cast discussed after the episode, head to Beacon TV and check out our exclusive show, Critical Role. Cooldown. You'll be right there at the table immediately after we say, is it Thursday yet? And experience our cast's post show reactions. We'll see you next time.

[Advertiser/Announcer]

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