
Part 1 Vaelus is faced with an impossible choice, Kattigan is taken to the demonic tailors, and a team split has devastating consequences... Vaelus is faced with an impossible choice, Kattigan is taken to the demonic tailors, and a team split has devastating consequences... New Episodes Release Weekly on Thursdays. Learn more about Campaign 4 at https://critrole.com/campaign4/ GET MORE CAMPAIGN 4 WITH BEACON We're excited to bring you even MORE Campaign 4 with a Beacon membership! Get access to exclusive shows like our behind-the-scenes Critical Role Cooldown and ask the Campaign 4 cast your burning questions directly through our LIVE monthly Fireside Chats. You'll also receive NEW Beacon exclusive series, instant ad-free access to VODs & podcasts, live event pre-sales, merch discounts, & a private Discord. Start your 7-day free trial today at https://beacon.tv/join and get unparalleled access to everything Critical Role! OFFICIAL CAMPAIGN 4 CAST GAME MASTER Brennan Lee Mull...
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Narrator/Announcer
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Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
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Narrator/Announcer
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Vaelys (Player Character)
What's going on?
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Tyranny (Player Character)
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Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
Why hello there, I'm Brennan Lee Mulligan and welcome to Campaign 4 of Critical Role. Thank you for joining us on this
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
journey as we explore Ahriman, a world of fractured kingdoms, tumultuous rebellion and sorcery that rises from the graveyard of the gods. You're listening to Part one of this
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
adventure, with Part two arriving this upcoming Tuesday. Our episodes typically arrive on the Critical Role Podcast network a week after our initial Thursday night streams on Beacon, YouTube and Twitch.
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
But if you'd rather listen to a
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
full podcast episode of Campaign 4 Right When it airs without any ads, consider
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
becoming a Beacon member.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
You'll receive access to exclusive content discounts at all our online Critical Role shops, pre sales for live events, and so much more. Start your seven day free trial today at Beacon tv. Now, without further ado, let's begin this
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
episode of Critical role. The Tintasi wood stretching out from the hallowed round theater comes to life around you. Your footfalls alongside that of Hanon, sworn enemy of your order. An elf like you who fought for the destruction of the goddess. You mourn jasmine, orchids, honeysuckle rose bloom spreads throughout the forest. Tintasi is a wild alpine wood. It is conifer and old hardy mountain oak and things growing off the side of rocks. It is a place of small cool caves and lichen facing the endless gray of their morning sky. And here at night you hear cricket song. The stone of Nightsong in Hanon's hand as he puts out the stone to you without fully opening his fingers as though to offer that you both hold it together hand in hand.
Vaelys (Player Character)
I will hold it with him.
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
As you walk through the forest, tears streak down Hanon's face. His lungs fill visibly through the wooden ribs of his chest. You hear shouts and cheers and an enormous burst of applause. The intermission of Kotherai Hal's play. And you hear a sort of susurrus of orcish Lungiani voices and those travelers. And you hear a flitting invisibly of fairies heading from the theater out quickly into the forest before the second act of the play begins. And the stone in your shared hands glows bright, pulsing almost like a heart with a cool blue and white gleam. You see Hanon wipes tears from his eyes as you walk. Arriving at the lakeside of Nahami, you see across the lake the falls pouring down from the river Vrosh.
Vaelys (Player Character)
I would love to grab some jasmine just to remember this moment. As we're walking by.
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
You grab the jasmine, you smell it. Hanon casts druid craft. And you see that the jasmine forms into a bracelet around your wrist.
Vaelys (Player Character)
This is incredible.
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
Forest is waking up. We've witnessed a miracle. That play, that ritual is a miracle. It goes without saying. If the afterlife of the Roumiani has been found, They are somewhere and they are safe. Did you know any that died after the shaper of life fell?
Vaelys (Player Character)
Yes.
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
Those souls that fell after the shapers still tread in the tenebral reaches the underworld. Unless a druid has brought their soul back into life once more. But those of your kin or family that died before, we know that the afterlives are accounted for. It is. We have witnessed a moment of profound significance in the history of Ahriman. Here in this place.
Vaelys (Player Character)
I feel so lucky that we got to witness this.
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
There is. I've been fighting for a very long time. And I know that I speak now to a fellow Warrior, I refer to you in a way that I regret in recent.
Tysha (Player Character)
Colonel,
Vaelys (Player Character)
Thank you. If I may, it's. It's not untrue. I. We were flower dolls to a certain degree. But thank you for saying that.
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
I do not claim to know on what bend of the path you now stand in your journey. But whatever tenderness you have shown me, I am grateful. For. What does your heart tell you now of the endless days to come? Should you choose them?
Vaelys (Player Character)
I don't know.
Tyranny (Player Character)
I think
Vaelys (Player Character)
seeing what we were able to see here today, this definitely gives me hope.
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
Me as well. The immortality of our people was given to us. For the Shaper of Life wished never to see her chosen die. And a bargain was struck with the other Shapers that we would still succumb to injury. We would not be invincible. But that age nor time would not end our lives. This favor alone was given to the Shaper of Life. And in exchange, our ability, Our ability to bring new life into the world was given from us to her. And only through her miraculous gift were we allowed to know the blessing of children. And when she left this world, she refused to return that gift to us. And what I saw in there, I have hope too. I would trade this immortal life that new voices of our people might. Young voices might be in the world again. And if this can happen. 70 years went without a moment's hope that something in the world had been thrown off kilter. It cannot be fixed quickly, but it can be fixed. Hal and Tycha, they've shown you and your companions this. There might be hope for our people. Even if it were at the cost of our immortal lives. I would trade it back. I would trade it back.
Vaelys (Player Character)
I would trade it back. In a second.
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
In a second.
Vaelys (Player Character)
I would. I would. And I will. If it comes to it.
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
You see, something softens in Hanon, and he closes his eyes and leans his head forward and puts a hand on your arm as though to embrace.
Vaelys (Player Character)
I lean my head forward as well.
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
He touches his head to yours. You breathe in the scent. Jasmine. Roses. Wild forest. He takes in a small breath as if to speak something here, so close to you in this space. And there is a sudden flash of light. The Stone of Nightsong gleams with the force of luminous moonlight as though the moon itself were here in this glade, casting shadows in all directions. And you, strands of moonlight, two of them, race off back towards the hallowed round. I'm going to need you to make a charisma saving throw for me. Oh, okay.
Vaelys (Player Character)
Oh, that's so bad. 11.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
11. Does not succeed. Hanon is blasted back from you in this moment. And as he is, both of your
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
hands clasp to the stone of Nightsong. This artifact to which you are attuned opens, and you see tenebral reaches. It is as though you are casting speak with dead again. And you are unable to let go of the stone. It lurches forwards towards the hallowed round.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
You are dragged on your knees through the moss. About 15 seconds with Hanon. Hanon has been blasted away. He gets up after you and goes to leap after you.
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
And the stone glows.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
And you see hanon is lifted 10ft up into the air, floating in place,
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
surrounded by motes of light.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
I don't know what's happening. The stone. Let go of the stone. I can't. Give me either perception or insight. Or you can also give me religion if you would like to.
Azune (Player Character)
Oh, okay.
Vaelys (Player Character)
Where's my sheet? There it is. Okay.
Archie Manning (Advertiser)
Okay.
Vaelys (Player Character)
Perception or religion?
Tyranny (Player Character)
Mm.
Vaelys (Player Character)
Ooh, that's really good. Okay, I rolled an 18. Let's go. Let's go. Religion.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
Okay. It's a plus five. Okay, so that is a 23.
Vaelys (Player Character)
Yeah.
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
Vaelys. The stone, in this moment is calling out to you.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
You feel that the stone is doing
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
what it was meant to do, which is usher spirits of the dead.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
It connects two strands of light. You realize three bridges. The three bridges.
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
One from Ahriman to the dying fields. That bridge was created during the play. And now Ahriman itself and the orcish afterlife you perceive in moonlight in this
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
vision of how you have seen the dead draw near in that liminal space between life and death.
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
The second and third bridge come from both of those places to Faerie through the stone. But the doors to Faerie are closed.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
The stone is wrenching in your fists on that 23 religion.
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
Thiazi Fang, an enemy of yours, a
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
thief and scoundrel who stole a religious relic from a place of worship, brought
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
this thing here for purposes of sacrilege.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
That ritual in the hallowed realm, that sacrilege, the sacrilege that was making Hanon weep a moment ago with the beauty and possibility of it, is calling the stone back.
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
However, you are a sister of Salandri. The stone also avails itself to you in this moment. And you can make it do what you want it to. You look out in the tenebral reaches and hear the distant grave cry of your sister and family. It comes to pass from time to time as someone telling this story with my friends to give people terrible choices to make. You may will the stone to participate in this ritual, the one that made you and Han in, weep with its beauty. That is against the wishes of the shaper that forged this stone. You may also, through your devotion to the path of the Sisters of Salandri, have the stone do what it was supposed to do, which is curry or ferry the souls of elves to their afterlife. You may, in this moment, find those members of your family in the Tenebral reaches and bring them to Faerie along with yourself, which, I need to state would be the same as dying. Or you may do some other thing, attempt to cast the stone away from you, bury it in the earth. Reject this choice in total, to reiterate, the two most potent magical things occurring now are whether the stone will be compelled to serve in this ritual that is in the midst of unfolding, or whether the stone will be bent to its original purpose by a follower of Salandri, which would rescue your family members from the underworld at the cost of your own life. Or, if it would be more true to what Bayless might do in this moment, you could cast it into the lake, bury it in the earth, or perhaps fling it from you, and name the person to whom you wish this choice would be given instead. We will arrive at that choice on tonight's episode of Crypt the Roll.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
Oh, my God. Hello, everyone, and welcome to the Critical Role Announcement Playhouse. We return once again, folks, it's almost free RPG day. On Saturday, June 27th, you can get
Bolair (Player Character)
a new Daggerheart adventure at friendly local game stores.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
The Dying Spire is an exciting level
Bolair (Player Character)
two adventure that can be run standalone
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
or as a continuation of our quick start adventure, the Sablewood Messengers. And it comes in a chonky booklet complete with standees to print and play at your leisure.
Azune (Player Character)
So chonky indeed.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
So find your local participating store and learn more at free RPJ. RPJ.
Bolair (Player Character)
Sorry.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
Free rpgday.com thank you, Travis. You have an husband?
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
Yes.
Narrator/Announcer
The final three episodes of the Legend
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
of Vox Machina Season 4 release next Wednesday on Prime Video.
Narrator/Announcer
To celebrate the end of the season, join some of our cast and crew for our finale episode of Inside the Legend of Vox Machina. On June 26th at 3pm Pacific. We will sit down, we'll chat, we'll mingle and talk about all the fun
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
behind the scenes details of season four.
Azune (Player Character)
Hell yeah.
Bolair (Player Character)
Love it.
Azune (Player Character)
Done it before. We'll do it again.
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
Do it again indeed.
Tyranny (Player Character)
Yeah.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
I believe that concludes our announcements. So let's go ahead and jump back into Ahriman.
Azune (Player Character)
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Azune (Player Character)
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Tyranny (Player Character)
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Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
Jimmy Conrad here and I have something to put on your radar. The core short from Viori because after getting my first pair I was hooked. They work for everything that I like doing soccer, tennis hoops and lifting weights, to name a few. And they're unbelievably comfortable, which is why I wear them doing everything else. They are designed to work for whatever your day throws at you. For our listeners, they're offering 20% off your first purchase, so head to vuori.com footy that's v U-O-R-I.com f O-O-T-Y exclusions apply. Visit the site for full details. Welcome to tonight's episode of Critical Role and we are Return so much has happened. We have been here as all of our adventurers of Ahriman have returned here to Dul Machiar. It is opening night of Kotheri, opening night which has reconnected the Orcish afterlife to Ahriman after 70 years of it being lost post the death of the Shapers. We also found ourselves in this moment with seeing the inner machinations of the Sundered Houses, Wakander Haylevar and tyranny back in the good graces of the Candescent Creed. We never left. We never left, in fact, to witness the sort of impromptu alliance trial and accusations heaped at Primus Taconis about the Daeva Vindicta and his various plans. And we saw him basically after all of this evidence that had been compiled by the different adventurers over time, be unable to say anything other than yeah, we tried to, but isn't our alliance
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
more important than life or death? After all, look at the grand work we are here to do.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
The Lady Amaria Dacen Cormoray showed up. Termina, a member of the Panto and Bolaire's sister arrived back, who seems to have gotten out of the box. Currently on her meds, she is out and about doing her thing. And we also have our friends at Obramis Manor that have just turned the Lady Dame Gaia Saremaia back into an
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
un dead Summon of Octys to Konis in their search to rescue Mara the Wing from Oberomus Manor, which they have
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
precious little time to do while the
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
Taconis are out at this meeting of
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
the Sundered Houses afterlives Discovered plays opening night Druids attempting to be rescued, trying to hold up the Taconis family at this meeting for as long as possible. And Cadogan Vale, captured by Tyranny's sisters, dumped out of a sack to see
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
that the lord of the house to Konis is none other than that sorcerer who murdered his wife and child all those years ago. Cadogan, the claws of the demons wrap around your arms and begin to pull you from the room along with Wulfric.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
As you see Petra and Raya Tokonis gesturing to the lords to sort of vacate. You see, Primus doesn't seem to register you at all and begins to walk
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
to the head of the table to engage in private conversation with Yanessa.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
Haelovar Wick, you are still in the room, but I think Tyranny. You are following. Cadogan out with the demons. Felonious is coming with them. Katigon, you are being pulled through the
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
doorway as you see Primus there. What is occurring with you? What do you do in this moment? Yeah, I mean, at first, seeing him, it was full processing power maxed out. Full disassociation. Seven years of failure wrapped up in one moment as the worst possible thing. And everything you've been looking for has dropped in your lap. And that lasts for about a second and a half. And then he's screaming at the. Just yelling like a feral animal trying to break his bonds. Give me an athletics check.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
Big roll.
Azune (Player Character)
Yeah.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
You are trying to beat a 23 from Enmity.
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
No, it's horrible. I don't even have my sty. I mean, I rolled a two.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
The demons hauling you out of here, you are screaming. Primus Taconus, you do not break your bonds. Or you're not screaming at. You're just trying to break your bonds.
Tyranny (Player Character)
No, no.
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
It's truly a feral and caged animal. There are no words. It's just. It's horrible. I don't know if any of you ever experienced this, but a person in real physical pain, they do not say words. They just make sounds that are indescribable. And that's his feral, drooling mess. Tyranny you accompany. As Wulfric and Cadogan are dragged out by the demons, Felonious, with his dog's judgment and wrath, meets them at the hall.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
This is occurring while Balehr is speaking
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
to Termina off in the corner, but you see that Felonious speaks and goes, all right, well, taking this one off to the tailors, are we?
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
Aspirants. Very good.
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
Very good. I wish I could join you, but security and all. So you see that Zobani walks up to Felonious and says, uncle, we just received word. The play. The play at the round. They've changed it. And you see that? Felonious goes, good. I heard that they had good praise the light. She says back, changed it back. It's a godless affair. And you see, he goes, oh,
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
what
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
are we to do? She looks and says, it's Wick's old friend. Now that he's back in the fold, we should send people there at once. Troops. You see that? She pulls off with Felonious and tyranny. You see, it's just the demons, they
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
get back to the wagon. You can give a roll to resist if you'd like. Go ahead and give me an athletics roll.
Archie Manning (Advertiser)
Sure.
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
We'll do another one. Mm, that's way better. That is 1610 for 26.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
They get you to the wagon and you get your arms and legs and they are not able to push you through the door as they're trying to get you. And you see that cruelty goes, why are you doing? There's a million soldiers here.
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
We'll just knock you out.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
Get in the wagon, you dirty guy. And you see that? You see, enmity goes.
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
You must heed this. We will not.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
And I'm going to ask for a
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
wisdom saving throw from that.
Vaelys (Player Character)
Oh, boy.
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
Wisdom save. Yeah, a six.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
You go paralyzed as she hits you with a hold person. They launch you in the back of the wagon, slam it shut and bolt.
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
Bolt the door.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
You see that?
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
Enmity turns around and goes, sister.
Tyranny (Player Character)
Well, finally we're alone. What happened?
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
What do you mean, what happened?
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
What happened with you?
Tyranny (Player Character)
You were supposed to come and get me. That's what happened. You know, what I know is that Yanessa was ready to kill all three of you. So you'd better listen to me because you were on thin ice, my friend.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
I'm on thin. You probably betrayed.
Tyranny (Player Character)
No, I didn't. Guess what? This guy, we're gonna get him. But I need to tell you stuff because have you noticed that they keep us separate?
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
Give me a persuasion check.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
Okay.
Azune (Player Character)
It's just a question.
Bolair (Player Character)
Is it, though?
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
11. 11. You see that agony goes. They do. And you see crazy cruelty says they don't. The three of us just went on a huge trip altogether without you.
Tyranny (Player Character)
Okay? Yeah. I don't feel left out, if that's what you're trying to do. I'm saying, at the castle, we all have very different areas.
Tysha (Player Character)
Shit.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
Ran away and shit went really south.
Vaelys (Player Character)
Okay?
Tyranny (Player Character)
I'm telling you, I want this to work for all of us. Please work with me. I need you to work with me because I have information that you might not have. You might have information that I don't have. Why are we here?
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
I know I have information you don't have.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
Yeah, I could write a book with
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
all the information I have that you don't have.
Tyranny (Player Character)
And I bet that we could go a lot farther furthering our agenda if we shared it with each other.
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
Sister, the bickering will end here.
Tyranny (Player Character)
Tyranny, enmity.
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
Come with us on the wagon. Say what you have to say.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
But we need.
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
This will be the first task that we have truly nailed in quite some time. So we are going to deliver this dirt caked man and his terrible dog
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
to the Mercknot couturier. All right? Which by the way, is the last place you were seen. So what? Actually get from the top, why don't you? And you see that? She gestures to the shotgun seat of the carriage. Agony crawls her way up onto the roof of the carriage and cruelty goes into the cell with the sort of manacled cadigan and everyone else, but keeps an ear to the little slit where
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
she can see the driver's side.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
Enmity goes hya.
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
To the Mercknard Couturier. They're horses. All right, Giddy up.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
And you see that she begins to drive the carriage out of here and
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
says, well, sister, spin your tail.
Tyranny (Player Character)
First of all, I just feel like there's a little bit of tension happening. I'm your sister. You're my sister.
Vaelys (Player Character)
My.
Tyranny (Player Character)
We are in this together. We have the exact same goal, okay, which is to kill this dirty dirt caked man. To use your words, he was a problem for Wick and I.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
As you guys are pulling in the courtyard, I need to check in with two people to see if anything happens before you guys are fully separated in space and time, which is Balayr Termina has just vanished in some kind of short range teleportation. You see Cadogan being dragged out in manacles, which you see as well, Wakander. And you also see Wakander as Philonius is about to close this sort of double door that will leave Wakander alone
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
for the first time in a while
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
with Primus and Yanessa.
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
In this moment.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
Do you have anything that you want to like? You guys see that these two are absconding. So this is sort of my going once, going twice, if you wish to accompany them.
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
If it makes Sense for your character to do so.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
Bolaire Termina has vanished, but can't be that far away. Katakan in tremendous danger with tyranny on it. But by herself, theoretically. Wakander in another room. Wakander. Same goes for you. You see Katogan going away and Tyranny going after him.
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
What do Wickander and Bolaire do in this moment?
Bolair (Player Character)
You want to go first?
Wakander (Player Character)
Am I close to Yanessa and Primus?
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
Yes, you see, you are quite close to them. You see that Primus is sort of
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
walking to the head of the table to speak with Yanessa.
Wakander (Player Character)
Do I have enough of a window to cast message or would I be seen?
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
I think that in this moment. No, you can do that.
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
Yeah, go for it.
Wakander (Player Character)
I don't know where Bolaire is, right?
Bolair (Player Character)
I don't think so.
Narrator/Announcer
Well, no.
Bolair (Player Character)
You know who I look like right now? I don't know if you're aware of where I am currently.
Wakander (Player Character)
Off into the hall.
Bolair (Player Character)
Yeah, I'm off in the hall.
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
Yeah, you're out in the feast area.
Wakander (Player Character)
I don't see. I don't have eyes on him.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
You don't have eyes on Baler right
Wakander (Player Character)
now then I would probably cast. If I saw a direction that he went, I could cast a message in that direction.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
General direction, sure.
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
Give me an arcana check.
Wakander (Player Character)
Okay, That's a one.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
A one. You got no idea where Bolair is. And there's no ability to send a message.
Archie Manning (Advertiser)
Cool.
Wakander (Player Character)
Then I will send a message to Tyranny.
Vaelys (Player Character)
Cool.
Wakander (Player Character)
And I will just sort of whisper to her. Do you need my help?
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
I have no way to send a message back.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
Yeah, you can respond with messages. I can? Yeah.
Bolair (Player Character)
Fuck.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
His message allows you to respond.
Wakander (Player Character)
How many words?
Tyranny (Player Character)
Yeah, how many words?
Wakander (Player Character)
It doesn't say.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
Sure.
Wakander (Player Character)
Short message.
Bolair (Player Character)
Short message.
Azune (Player Character)
Less than three.
Vaelys (Player Character)
Yes.
Wakander (Player Character)
Yes.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
Oh, shit. No, wait.
Bolair (Player Character)
You can't hear him.
Narrator/Announcer
No, no, no.
Wakander (Player Character)
She said yes. And she did a heart emoji.
Bolair (Player Character)
This is the first emoji I've seen. Several times.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
You can continue the message in conversation for a moment.
Tyranny (Player Character)
Really just winging it and might have a dead cat soon. I'm sticking to your story.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
You hear my primal screams of agony burrowing through the halls. I know.
Wakander (Player Character)
I'm worried about tyranny right now. Do you wish me to exit immediately and follow you or are you okay for a bit?
Tyranny (Player Character)
I'm okay.
Vaelys (Player Character)
Talk to your grandma.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
You also know the place that they are headed to?
Wakander (Player Character)
Of course I do. Yes. Just want to make sure that he's not going to Die imminently.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
As the doors close, you see that Entering in as the feast begins, Etherin Taconis walks out to mingle and host. Petra and Raya close the doors, going to join their father.
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
As Zabani, your sister, walks in as well. And she begins to walk up to Yanessa.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
You over here. As the doors close, that Primus approaches Yanessa and goes,
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
Well Yanessa, how'd that go? You think they bought it?
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
And you see that Yanessa goes, well,
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
Primus, it's not going to just be a pat on the back. It's going to be land and gold. And you see, Primus goes, no, no, I can't.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
We provide magic for this alliance. And she goes, well, you should have
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
thought about how land poor and cash poor you were before you tried to summon an angel to subjugate all of us. I don't know what to tell you. And you watch Primus go, certainly we. You don't think. I mean, Otto seemed extremely irate. Past the point. And you see Yanessa puts a comforting hand on Primus shoulder and goes. While Lord Einfassen is shouting, rest assured, all is well. If he were smiling, I'd be worried. All right. What do you do in this moment?
Wakander (Player Character)
I'm just sort of beside them, talking.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
I think you were at your space at the table. Normally you see that Petra and Raya are nearby. Zabani has walked up and you can
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
see her go up to Yanessa and say, grandmother, something's wrong with the play and I'm wondering if I have your leave too. And you see that Yanessa says, what happened with the play? And she looks up and makes eye contact with you. Specifically, Zabani does, no, your grandmother. You see, Zabonni looks and says, well, it seems Hallendil Fang is a liar. You wouldn't know anything about that, would you, brother?
Wakander (Player Character)
You mean the man who runs the theater?
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
Your little friend, a liar?
Wakander (Player Character)
I know that he's a trained actor and is very good at playing a role.
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
Before you grandson, before you arrived, Alan Dielfang had made some accommodations to change some of the more untoward subject matter of his play. And it looks like that was done as a ra and was not honest. So he has unfortunately deceived us. He is. I should have paid a closer eye to you and your budding working relationship with him.
Wakander (Player Character)
I know that he has been associating with some untoward people. However, I cannot imagine that Hal, my dear friend, whom I trust more than most people, would ever betray a promise that he's made. May I have my leave to go check on this for you?
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
You see that? Your grandmother looks and says, wakenda, leaving so soon? I had hoped that you might stay. I would love to speak. We haven't had much of a chance to catch up, you and I, so
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
I would love to.
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
To keep you by my side if I can.
Wakander (Player Character)
I'd be honored to stay by your side.
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
But she looks and says, yes, well, Houndelfang, the worst company kept was of course his brother, the late Thiazi Primus looks over and says, actually Yanesa, I was hoping that we might be able to speak more privately. And he glances over at you. Give me an insight check. Okay.
Wakander (Player Character)
Insight 22.
Azune (Player Character)
Woo.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
You can see. I think you just see Primus.
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
You haven't had any long.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
You've never had a one on one conversation with Primus to condus in your life. You've been to a lot of the
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
same parties and galas. The rumors of your absence have given him some pause. And your closeness to a member of the Fang family that you can tell
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
he doesn't want to say the shit
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
he's got to say in front of you. You're reading that on him.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
But your grandmother doesn't want you to go anywhere, so there's a little bit of tension here. I think out of 22 insight, you
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
also see that Petra and Raya Taconis, the twin sisters, the eldest sisters of Primus, are both sort of regarding you in this moment, interested at your sudden return. As you see, Primus says, yes, why don't we speak more privately? What do you do in this moment?
Wakander (Player Character)
I would speak up, boy, I'm torn in three different directions right now. I would speak up and say,
Tyranny (Player Character)
lord
Wakander (Player Character)
Primus, may I just say before you go off and speak with my grandmother alone. Your speech was enlightening and in a way moving to me. The way that you articulated the struggle that all of our families face against outside forces and the struggle we all face within working with each other is one that I've been wrestling with a lot lately. And I must commend you for your bravery in saying those things. I understand that you don't know me and I haven't been part of these communications or conversations before. But you have my word by the light itself that I am at your disposal.
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
Give me a deception check. Go ahead and give me a deception check. If you'd be so.
Wakander (Player Character)
19 plus 7 is 26.
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
Your grandmother is misty eyed on a 20 fucking 7. She takes your hand and turns to Zabani. And goes. Zabani, beloved one, go handle the theater. My grandson is ascending to his place. You see that Zapani is beet red. As you wish, grandmother. She turns. Primus looks at you and goes. For a thousand years did the Hailovar and Taconis steward the souls of men. I am glad to know that you are possessed of vision, Wicander, young lord of the Hailifar. And Primus Daconis goes to shake your hand.
Wakander (Player Character)
I'll shake it and bow my head in deference. And then. Has Zabani left already?
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
Yeah, she's walking out.
Wakander (Player Character)
I'll just. One moment, Lord Primus. Zabani.
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
She turns.
Wakander (Player Character)
Don't do anything without checking with your masters first.
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
She looks at you and in a message cantrip to you goes. I'll end you,
Azune (Player Character)
God.
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
By the dead shapers, let me be the one to do it. Of course, brother.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
And you see that she walks out of the room. Give me one more insight.
Azune (Player Character)
Check.
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
With advantage.
Wakander (Player Character)
Oh Jesus. With advantage.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
With advantage. Oh my God, all these rolls.
Wakander (Player Character)
Well, one's a one and one's a 19.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
Nineteen plus. Oh, insight is three.
Wakander (Player Character)
So 22.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
In that moment of watching you speak
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
so cruelly to Zobani. On A22 Insight, Petra and Raya to Konis cock their heads towards each other looking at you.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
And you can tell that both of
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
them are quite smitten with you.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
Some nipples. You see that they go. They look and say.
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
I don't believe we've had the pleasure before, but from one eldest to two eldest, we are glad to have you home.
Wakander (Player Character)
May the holy spark reach you.
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
It would have to travel ever so far.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
And you see, you're gonna come unit to Bolaire.
Bolair (Player Character)
Okay, no stem
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
we cut over to Bolair. Bolaire. Same question that was posed to Wick. You got them.
Bolair (Player Character)
What have I seen?
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
Yeah, them rushing out the doors close and Termina somewhere. What would you like to do of
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
those options that are available to you?
Bolair (Player Character)
Well, I'm going to do the mental math really quickly.
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
Shit, where's my sister?
Bolair (Player Character)
And I'm going to turn around the corner to see if I can find. I know she couldn't have gotten far. And I'm going to go find my sister.
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
Amazing.
Bolair (Player Character)
Full speed.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
Go ahead and roll an investigation check for me. We are looking for a difficulty of 15 to get a clue. 20 gets you right where you need to go. And this investigation check will, I will say that this is a couple of
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
minutes, but not too many.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
That if it is not fruitful you would not be able to pivot and do something else.
Bolair (Player Character)
If it goes for. I will say if it goes for two minutes or I actually, in my head, I may hop back into the theater also while I'm searching to make a little bit of noise, if that helps as well.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
Incredible. Let's do the investigation first and then we'll run the.
Bolair (Player Character)
Yeah, come on.
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
That's 20.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
20. Dirty 20. A dirty 20 balaire rushing upstairs.
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
You are in the Via Aurora and you arrive.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
You're in one of the quarters of
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
a Haylovar family member.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
It has gotten quiet. There are some noises of servants farther away, but you hear noises that are
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
echoing from your internal theater. And then also you hear voices responding as the voice of Termina through Lady Cormoray is saying, well, of course. Yes, I can picture that quite clearly in my head. Obviously, these forces. There is much at work that we need to.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
And moving into another place, this appears to be a lady of the hail
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
of our family's private quarters.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
You see that there are exquisite gowns
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
and robes throughout and that Termina, in
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
the person of Lady Cormoray has bedecked herself in a bunch of finery. There's a shattered wardrobe on the ground. She's wearing probably like 20 pounds of
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
necklaces on herself, looking at herself in a mirror and combing her finger along her chin and being like, yes, that's a brilliant point. Maybe one more necklace. And throws it on and then turns and goes.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
Brother.
Bolair (Player Character)
Hello, darling.
Azune (Player Character)
Hello.
Bolair (Player Character)
I was wondering if we could have a moment to talk. I know time is feeling very strange to you right now. Do you. Can I bother you for just a minute? It has been a while for me. I don't know how long it's been for you.
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
Yes. No, no, no, no. He's fine. Are you all right?
Bolair (Player Character)
That is a question, isn't it?
Archie Manning (Advertiser)
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Tyranny (Player Character)
Carter's has your family covered for every summer first for steps, first swim lesson or first sleepover. Our clothes help kids and parents shine thanks to comfy design and easy dressing details. Visit Carters.com to shop the latest styles or or find a Carter store near you.
Tysha (Player Character)
I'm Serena Williams and I'm healthier on Roe. I've lost 34 pounds in a year with GLP1's diet and exercise on row. You can access GLP1 options including the first FDA approved GLP1 pill for weight loss. Go to Ro Co Journey to see if you qualify. 14 to 20% average weight loss in one year in non diabetics with obesity
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
or overweight with a weight related medical
Tysha (Player Character)
condition versus 2.2% to 3.1% in placebo arm Rx only. To stay informed about serious side effects, go to RO Co Safety.
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
At dsw, we ask the important questions
Tysha (Player Character)
like what shoes are you going to wear? Whether you're prepping for wedding season, festival
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
season, or just planning the ultimate vacay, the right shoes can make or break an rsvp. So own the moment. You've got big plans and we've got just the shoes.
Tysha (Player Character)
Shoes at the perfect price, of course.
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
Get ready to get ready with Designer Shoe Warehouse.
Tysha (Player Character)
Head to your DSW store or dsw.com
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
today and let us surprise you.
Bolair (Player Character)
We are going to have to have a talk about a lot of things in the near future. It is so good to see you. We need to catch up. I have so many questions. I. I have so many questions.
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
I have so many answers.
Bolair (Player Character)
And so many necklaces.
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
Where are the rest of our siblings?
Bolair (Player Character)
I've been looking for a very long time and you are the first.
Tyranny (Player Character)
You are.
Bolair (Player Character)
And I actually rush over to grab her face. Mm, you are.
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
She grabs your face.
Bolair (Player Character)
You were the first I found and I'm so sorry. You were the only one I didn't look for.
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
I thought you were dead.
Bolair (Player Character)
I'm so. I'm so sorry. I'm so.
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
I thought you were dead. You thought I was dead? You didn't look for me.
Bolair (Player Character)
I didn't know. You're the only one I found and I have looked.
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
What do you mean by that?
Bolair (Player Character)
It's been a very long time.
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
If you. Well, wait. How long have you. How long have you been awake?
Bolair (Player Character)
On and off, on and off. On and off. Not quite a hundred years.
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
How long has it been since we finished the play?
Bolair (Player Character)
Not quite a hundred years. And finish the play is a very broad term. The play may be over, but the show goes on.
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
You didn't look for me. You died in front of us. You died.
Bolair (Player Character)
The thing in our head told me. How do we fight what we were made? I was tricked. Those who made us. Those who dreamed us, tricked us. And there will come a moment when you are ready, that we need to talk about finding the others.
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
Give me a perception check.
Bolair (Player Character)
Oh boy. I already know what this is about. But. Yep, That wasn't real. Even look. 9.
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
The Lux Adora in your mind's theater is screaming over and over to be let out.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
And you just hear her go quiet
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
for a moment and then continue to scream to be let out.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
But you're realizing that it's kind of giving you. There's almost a headache y quality to
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
how noisy she's being internally. Termina looks at you and says, you've been awake for almost 100 years and you didn't look for me. Who else have you found amongst our siblings? None.
Bolair (Player Character)
No one. Not one of us. You were the first voice I heard. I didn't even know that any of us could be inside that place.
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
She lets go of your face and takes a step back. Brother, how clever are you?
Bolair (Player Character)
Clearly not clever enough, but clever. And I know this place. I have been here. And I am so excited to help you escape.
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
You're wrong. He wouldn't.
Bolair (Player Character)
She is a liar. I know you take to people very closely. But she. You have to be careful with her. She is very charming and very powerful. And she will be good for you in some ways. But I worry about others.
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
Please give me persuasion and we are going to roll. Sort of at odds. I want you to roll 2d20 and take the result farthest from 10.
Bolair (Player Character)
Let me. I love this. Let me put one more thing on this.
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
Cool.
Bolair (Player Character)
I drop the voice, I lose all pretense of who I pretend to be. What else do we have about each other? And we need each other. And that will never go away. Please.
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
Oh boy.
Bolair (Player Character)
That was a bad roll.
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
What did we get?
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
2d20.
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
Take the one farthest from 10.
Bolair (Player Character)
3.
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
Bolier. You were always very clever.
Bolair (Player Character)
It's not my fault
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
you've been awake for almost 100 years. As clever as you are. And you didn't find any of us?
Wakander (Player Character)
No.
Bolair (Player Character)
I need help.
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
Did you look as hard as you could?
Bolair (Player Character)
Yes. How could I not? You haven't had enough time to feel like what?
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
Stop it.
Azune (Player Character)
Stop.
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
Stop it. Someone's not telling me the truth.
Bolair (Player Character)
I know. Have I ever not told the truth? I may not tell the whole truth,
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
but I tell the truth.
Vaelys (Player Character)
Truth.
Bolair (Player Character)
You know that.
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
Was I supposed to die at the end of the play?
Bolair (Player Character)
Yes. That I have learned.
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
Did you know that?
Bolair (Player Character)
No.
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
Give me another persuasion on that three before this one will be with disadvantage.
Bolair (Player Character)
Fuck me. Come on. So the closest one to 10.
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
No, this one's with disadvantage because the former was a three. Three on the die.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
So this is persuasion with disadvantage.
Bolair (Player Character)
Okay, sorry.
Tysha (Player Character)
Wrong.
Bolair (Player Character)
Sorry. Now I. Persuasion with disadvantage.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
We want to hit.
Bolair (Player Character)
Nothing I can add to this.
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
We want to hit at least a 15, though.
Bolair (Player Character)
Oh, fuck me. Here we go. Nope. My persuasion's surprisingly low and I'm not using anything against her, so that's 11.
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
She looks at you. I think, you're right.
Bolair (Player Character)
Please remember, anything you need, you find me and I will give it to you.
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
Belair, give me an insight check.
Bolair (Player Character)
I'm so fucked. I am well aware. Just normal.
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
Normal.
Bolair (Player Character)
Thank God.
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
19 19. Over the past two to five minutes, the spread of outcomes of this interaction have moved from the positive to completely within the. Let's say negative to extraordinarily dangerous. You are not looking at a whole member of the banto and I am going to allow you to on that high insight check. There is a possibility for things to become extraordinarily dangerous in the next several seconds. And I'm going to allow you to act before initiative is rolled.
Archie Manning (Advertiser)
Okay.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
Like she's still listening to the Lady Cormoray.
Bolair (Player Character)
I know.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
So you have that window of whatever the Lady Cormoray is saying to do.
Bolair (Player Character)
Honestly, who has the egg ball bearing?
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah.
Narrator/Announcer
I think I have it.
Tyranny (Player Character)
But Brennan said it expires.
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
The egg expires.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
The gross egg.
Azune (Player Character)
Does the gross egg expire?
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
Just throw it at your sisters.
Bolair (Player Character)
All right. I have. I would know this just to put forward is I would know whether or not I can cast a spell on her human and not her necessary or if I do cast a spell on the body, it would hit the. Since the human is clearly her host
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
is clearly conscious, it works the same. I don't think you have any knowledge
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
outside of how you work. That is very fair.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
Right. It's like the way I work is if you hit me, my body dies. If someone knows to go for the
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
mask, they can, but they typically don't know to do that.
Bolair (Player Character)
But I have been able to fuck with. Last time we. We did this, I was I could act. Well, I wasn't. Her body was the person that she was with it. She was a vessel to that person, so.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
Well, that's fine, I think.
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
All right, here we go.
Bolair (Player Character)
I'm going to go for.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
Oh, that's really bad.
Bolair (Player Character)
I'm going to go for.
Vaelys (Player Character)
Or.
Bolair (Player Character)
She's a wizard that she's on right now.
Tyranny (Player Character)
Right.
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
Sorceress.
Bolair (Player Character)
Sorceress. Okay. I'm going to go for Phantasmal Force.
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
Copy that. You're going to cast Phantasmal Force on her. Copy that. Okay. One moment.
Narrator/Announcer
Good spell.
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
You cast Phantasmal Force.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
What is the saving throw for phantasmal force?
Bolair (Player Character)
Intelligence 14.
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
Okay. Counterspell. I'm gonna need you to roll Initiative.
Bolair (Player Character)
She can counterspell Phantasmal force. Oh, wow.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
Now, are there any verbal or somatic command components?
Bolair (Player Character)
Oh, yeah, there are.
Tysha (Player Character)
Okay.
Bolair (Player Character)
So she just saw me doing something.
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
Saw you doing something. Yeah.
Bolair (Player Character)
All right.
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
Come on, Tally.
Bolair (Player Character)
That was going to be my escape plan.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
We are going to roll. We are going to roll. But she's used her reaction.
Bolair (Player Character)
That's nice.
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
This one v one pvp.
Bolair (Player Character)
This is so bad.
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
I thought you were in trouble.
Bolair (Player Character)
A rolling initiative. All right.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
And we should probably. You know what? No, we can do this. Theater of the mind right now. That's okay. Okay. Her initiative was a 15.
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
What did we get here?
Bolair (Player Character)
My initiative is a. Oh, my God. I'm rolling.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
Crap.
Bolair (Player Character)
Eleven.
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
Eleven. Okay. I am going to. Okay.
Bolair (Player Character)
Yep.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
Don't kill him.
Tyranny (Player Character)
I'm so scared right now.
Bolair (Player Character)
I might. This might be the end.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
It's a dangerous game, you guys.
Bolair (Player Character)
This is really bad on my end.
Azune (Player Character)
What if we just had a nice
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
day, had a nice time. I am going to need. Okay.
Tyranny (Player Character)
Yeah.
Wakander (Player Character)
The old DM sign.
Hal (Player Character)
Yeah.
Wakander (Player Character)
Yeah.
Bolair (Player Character)
I'm ready.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
We are all ready.
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
The rolls have led us to a frightening moment.
Vaelys (Player Character)
Yeah.
Tysha (Player Character)
Oh, no.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
This saving throw of the spell that
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
is coming your way is extraordinarily significant
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
because it does no damage on a successful saving throw and a tremendous amount
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
of damage on a failed saving throw.
Archie Manning (Advertiser)
Cool.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
The difficulty for this is a DC17 dexterity saving throw.
Vaelys (Player Character)
Ew.
Wakander (Player Character)
Is that even possible?
Tyranny (Player Character)
Yeah, you got this, Tal.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
What do you need to roll on
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
the die to withstand this?
Bolair (Player Character)
I have a dex save of plus 2. I'm just seeing if I have anything I can add to this. Right now, I'm just looking through my features and being like, am I. Like, how fucked am I? I'm pretty fucked. Hold on.
Narrator/Announcer
Yeah.
Vaelys (Player Character)
Yeah.
Bolair (Player Character)
This is fun.
Tyranny (Player Character)
Nat 20, baby.
Bolair (Player Character)
Nat 20, baby.
Vaelys (Player Character)
Oh, God.
Bolair (Player Character)
How do. I'm trying to remember how I do this.
Archie Manning (Advertiser)
Oh, yeah, that's right.
Narrator/Announcer
That's right.
Bolair (Player Character)
This is how I do this.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
No fucking way.
Hal (Player Character)
That's the craziest thing ever.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
What is that? I don't know.
Bolair (Player Character)
I have a look.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
Fucking look.
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
Not no
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
man. Okay, that's been my trick forever is you don't look. You make eye contact with the DM and you roll and you don't look until it's conversion here. But I have to go get it. That was all of Campaign One with Matt. Every person killed. That's crazy. A sixth level A. I'm just making sure I'm reading this correctly. A sixth level disintegrate spell that does 75 damage on average.
Bolair (Player Character)
Jesus.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
I've got like 30 points. Bol air. You go the phantasmal forest, it's batted away. Termina moves around, hits you with a disintegrate. Does not hit you. An entire stone column vanishes from behind you. Boom. And I'm gonna say I'm gonna roll here. Call odds or evens for me. Odds 4. Okay, you see that boom? The column disappears. You hear the roof buckle overhead quite badly in this moment. But you also on her turn. She's got counterspell back. Bolair, it is your turn. Oh, God.
Vaelys (Player Character)
Go away.
Azune (Player Character)
Go away.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
That nat 20 is fucking. I mean, that was going to be our first PC death right there.
Bolair (Player Character)
I know you're ready. There's still time and I can. Okay, so I'm trying to remember how working Caster works. I can use it as a reactive spell. Okay, cool, cool, cool, cool, cool. I am going to attempt to run away. I'm going to have a shocked, not angry, a shocked look on her face. On my face. I am. I've dropped by. I've been my normal. I've been my proper face. And just as I turn, I'm just going to have the. You attacked family.
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
I will forgive you.
Bolair (Player Character)
I love you and I'm running.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
You turn and fucking book it. Holy shit. On that nat 20, I want you to make me either. As you're running, I want you. This is almost like a luck check. But on that nat 20, saving throw. Holy shit, Taliesin. That's so fucking crazy. Ah, fuck. I want to you. I want you to make either perception or investigation. Your choice with advantage. As you sprint out of the room.
Bolair (Player Character)
Let's do investigation with advantage. God fucking Laura. You did this to me.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
God awful. 1212. Okay. You go running down the hallway. You're running down the hallway a Colonnade opens up. As you are sprinting, you use your full movement and probably another dash action you're looking for, like, where's the easy servants entrance for me to get out of here? 12 is not quite high, so I'm going to give you a terrible choice in this moment.
Bolair (Player Character)
Yeah, brilliant.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
You can either continue to run and hope that you roll better on the next turn, but also know there's nothing stopping Termina on her turn from booking it out.
Tyranny (Player Character)
You.
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
If you look out through the colonnade, over the walls of the hail of our. Of the Via Aurora, you see a carriage pulling out, pulling down the street. There is no way on earth for
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
you to make a jump to that carriage. There's no way at all for you to make a jump to that carriage. But you're looking at. You see Tyrion and you see that tyranny's on the shotgun seat. So she is visible through the night air as a little distant shape. Can't jump it. But you could maybe throw something.
Bolair (Player Character)
I have. No, hold on, hold on, hold on. I'm going to ask a thing really quick. Is there time to cast a spell in the middle of this?
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
You have your action. You just have run down the hallway.
Bolair (Player Character)
Okay, so before I throw, I can cast a spell.
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
Yes, you can.
Bolair (Player Character)
I actually don't have telepathy. I have rethoughts. It's a different thing. Okay, okay, okay. Let's see. Yep. Fuck it. We're going for it. I'm gonna. Yeah, I'm going for the throw.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
Throwing, actually. Ask.
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
Oh, Frisbee.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
It's totally up to you. All I'm saying is you don't see a great hidey hole. There's not an easy place. You're in the private residential quarters of the Via Aurora, so you're not seeing a great place to lead. It's all bad options. It's either try to survive the next turn with Termina or this truly foolish plan. Looking, you know that the panto are made of sturdy stuff. You're not going to shatter on the ground. But then if you miss, your mask
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
is just clattered into an alleyway somewhere.
Bolair (Player Character)
I am going to do something mind bogglingly more stupid than that.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
Great. I love it. Tell me, tell me.
Bolair (Player Character)
So I'm on the second floor running and I'm on the balcony. I see it going.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
Yeah.
Bolair (Player Character)
I'm going to take a running leap to get a closer shot at the carriage.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
Great. I love it.
Bolair (Player Character)
Off the balcony.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
Off the balcony. You're gonna dive out the window.
Bolair (Player Character)
Oh, I don't want a witness left. She's gotta die.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
Okay, you are gonna go run as you are running. Oh, my God. Yeah, go ahead. Give me athletics. And if you're putting everything into it, the Luxadora only has a. A plus two to this roll. But you, I think with a plus two to the roll you only need. I'm gonna say it's a DC13. And if you put your all into it and fling yourself with reckless abandon, I'll let you do it with advantage.
Bolair (Player Character)
I am. There's some reckless abandon, athletics.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
Yeah.
Bolair (Player Character)
Fuck me. Okay. Not my best, but I will take it. You know, what do we do?
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
Here we go.
Hal (Player Character)
Come on.
Bolair (Player Character)
Yeah, that's fine, actually. Just because I'm curious.
Vaelys (Player Character)
Yep.
Bolair (Player Character)
Okay. 17.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
17. The wagon trundling along. Enmity looks to you and says, says.
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
All right, out with the story, sister. There's been enough surprises.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
Bam. I'm going to need you to roll 4d6 for me.
Bolair (Player Character)
I love this. That's.
Hal (Player Character)
Let's see.
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
4, 5, 6, 79, 14 points.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
Tyranny. The Luxadora flings herself from an upper story window of the Via Aurora and lands instantaneously dead on the pavement before you, wearing a mask on the ground in front of the carriage. And Minnie goes, holy shit. And you see, cruelty goes. Why would I miss from inside of the carriage? Do we stop you in this moment? You can stop, I think. Yeah. The carriage stops in this moment.
Azune (Player Character)
Okay, thank you.
Tyranny (Player Character)
Stay here. I know what this is about. I'm going to go and I'm gonna grab the mask.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
Okay. Comes right off.
Azune (Player Character)
Great.
Tyranny (Player Character)
What's that? I'm grabbing the mask.
Bolair (Player Character)
You grab the mask Right before the mask is removed. As I know that she is dying and about to fade away, the last thing I make sure that that terrible woman hears is, you have been judged, you horrible woman. And the light goes out.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
Light goes out.
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
Tyranny.
Tyranny (Player Character)
I have it. I'm getting back in the carriage and I say go. You have no idea the things that I know. I'm trying to get you on my level, to understand me.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
Okay, you guys, you take off. I'm going to roll with a natural two on the dice.
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
On the die, a sorceress wearing a cracked mask flies overhead.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
You guys pull away in the carriage, and it is not until you are
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
many blocks down that you see that figure land by the body left there in the street.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
Tyranny. Your sister's looking. Call out to some of the guards. There's a crowd gathering around. At that point, you are heading off with Your sister. You see that? Enmity says.
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
What the hell was that?
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
What'd you do? Steal from that woman?
Tyranny (Player Character)
She's insane. Okay? What I have, it's part of a bigger picture. That's what I've been trying to tell you.
Tysha (Player Character)
Okay?
Tyranny (Player Character)
You're right. Enmity, Cruelty. You're very, very smart.
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
Wick ran.
Tyranny (Player Character)
He had a crisis of faith. But the things that I have seen him do. He's ready. He wants power just as much as we do.
Tysha (Player Character)
Okay?
Tyranny (Player Character)
Your name is Cruelty. You know what that means to you? And Mitty? You know what your name's. Agony. You know what your name means?
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
Pain.
Tyranny (Player Character)
Pain.
Vaelys (Player Character)
Mm.
Tyranny (Player Character)
My name is Tyranny. That means to be ruled by one. And it's my job to make sure that Wicked takes up his seat as the chosen scion. Okay, Now, I am not lying when I said that Yanessa was so ready to kill you. It doesn't matter to me that you weren't worried about me. I was in real danger. We were in real danger. What I need you to do for me is let me kill that man and back myself.
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
The pure emotion of the request versus the audacity of the request means that I will grant both advantage and disadvantage, which will be a straight roll. You are going to make a persuasion check, and I am going to put one of your sisters at 15,
Vaelys (Player Character)
two
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
of your sisters at 20. And getting all three of them is a 25.
Vaelys (Player Character)
Okay.
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
Straight roll. Adding your persuasion,
Tyranny (Player Character)
I'm gonna spend a luck point.
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
Okay, go for it. Here we go. 18 on the die. 18 total.
Tyranny (Player Character)
Total.
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
You see, Agony looks up and goes, let's let her. Let's let her. And you see, the enmity furrows her brow. I can tell that your feelings are pure in this regard, but we cannot countermand the fo tah. Let us explain our situation to the Murkinaut twins. You may torture the man in there, but he needs to die in such a way that they can tend to his shadow. We will see you given what you require. All right, sister.
Tyranny (Player Character)
Thank you.
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
And they take off to the tailor shop.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
We are going to cut over to team theater if we can. Let's swap e out. Oh, my God. Fuck. Fuck. We return to the hallowed round as uproarious applause. Act one of Kothairai ends on a real upbeat as revolution is announced. The sword goes on high. Hooray. Hooray. Everything is good. People rushing backstage. Up at the concession stand. You see Olgood just coins coming in. He's got fruit leather. Can't move fast enough. There's cranberry rolls. There's Yargrass moving out. Cut that guy off. Oh, you see he goes back. Murray. Murray with staff up. See invisibility. You look out and see over every just invisible fairies rushing everywhere. Tycha, in walking the grounds during the
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
play cast paths without trace.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
So your fae friends are not only invisible under their own magic.
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
The celestials, the spirits of the orcish dead. Those revolutionary heroes of a long gone age of more than a century ago. As they cross the threshold you can see them as a wizard trained to see the unseen who but this beautiful unfurling of magic goes completely unnoticed. But does it really? The audience smiling. The painted pariah blade. The honored dead fairies twirling unseen in the air. Azune, you see this as well.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
You can look out realizing whatever magic
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
you used in deciphering the paint. And also something for some reason the distant noise of the waterfalls is pounding extra loud tonight. As you look out and see this
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
Hal, you see that paint on your foot. You and Tycha look at each other
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
and you are glowing more vibrantly. You can all see it.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
But because of that pass without trace.
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
It seems like the heightened magic of this ritual. There is a spiritual and a divine element that was not given to this world. It is from the heart of this world. It has been in this world forever. Fairies and spirits and the loving memory of the honored dead and the promise of dreams and the paint of the what has come before and what will come. The people of Dolmakyar, the Runyani and their friends and family here in this place have always been this surrounded by magic. This magic beats in the heart of Ahriman. And it's just that you guys get to see it with your own two eyes in this moment.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
Cheers and babbling conversation as the actors
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
go back and change.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
Hal, as you look out and can see the spell unfurling.
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
What are you doing?
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
You and Tysha as the intermission occurs here?
Hal (Player Character)
Well, I think in that freeze frame as I'm looking out at people rising from their seats and milling about and watching spirits drift through the crowd. Looking out at Tysha, I am thinking of years of work that she and I put in together and the belief that I had in this place which wanted this society, wanted to forget this place, to bury it, to cast it aside as a shameful place of our past. And I always believed it could be reclaimed and repurposed for the people that live here. To start a new chapter in the history books for our people. And for all the people of Dolmakyar. And I am drunk with. With the singular inspiration that is just flowing through here like the waters of the waterfalls of Dolmak. Yar am heady with the magic of it.
Vaelys (Player Character)
Hi.
Tysha (Player Character)
And I think it's not even worth it to try to wipe away tears. Tysha's just been sobbing and. And so proud. And she's so happy to have been one of the people that was wrong about this place that sees now the vision that you always had for it. And she's always been so proud of her family in the past and now is looking out and realizing how proud she is of her family now. Of Hallendil and Shadia and the things that the Azzy has pulled off the. That slippery bastard. And now the people that are here that she only sees in spirit form that are probably names that she only knows from Loy family recitation of our family tree that might be walking through here. She is proud of everyone and all of it. And she cannot tear her eyes away from you.
Hal (Player Character)
I just. Wordlessly, we're across. We're really far apart.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
We kiss from like a mile and a half apart. It's a lot of time I use wild shape to just send.
Hal (Player Character)
But you do see me mouth. See me mouth the words.
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
Hey, I love you.
Tysha (Player Character)
I think I just scream I love you. Maybe you hear it.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
I don't know.
Tysha (Player Character)
It's loud. People are yelling over box one.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
Mouthing those words to each other.
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
How everyone sees a beautiful druid, a member of the Loy family who is as always, so at home in this. The city of her family. The ancestral city of her family. Everyone sees that she's been walking and providing a kind of important druidic observation of the significance of this day. Really hallowing the round in this space. I am going to also let you know. You become aware that a hallowed effect takes this place becomes the hallowed round.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
Fairies are invited here because of the fairy doors that are open to them.
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
Undead and fiends may only enter this hallowed space with a ticket.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
You need to take it.
Azune (Player Character)
Hallowing.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
That's capitalism, Hal. If you're a patron of the arts, of course. But you see that several magical effects
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
begin to swim and swirl around this place.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
In addition to that, Hal, I believe
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
you cast an enhance ability before you
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
regain that spell slot. It comes back to you. You see that there is a somewhere unbeknownst to you. Your allies are having a tough time in Obramus Manor, which doubles necrotic damage and something the opposite of that is happening here. Bardic and Druidic spells have a chance to not use up spell slots in this place. It is a. I know you just
Tysha (Player Character)
said that, but can I do something a little stupid, not having known that there would not be any mechanical effect
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
to me attempting it? Yes, go for it.
Tysha (Player Character)
I think in that walking. And the first half of this play, I would like to think is a communion with the land of this place and the people of it. And I would like to expend a wild shapes thought to call the corners and call to the honored ancestors.
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
Incredible. You call to the honored ancestors.
Tysha (Player Character)
I don't have a question for them, but just a request.
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
What is the request that you pose to the honored?
Tysha (Player Character)
Answer ancestors that as they pass in peace to just take a moment to know some small measure of the garden that is flourishing now here because of the seeds sown by their lives and their love. And if I can extend that pass without trace, I would love for as many of these spirits to ride shotgun in the patrons so they can see some measure of what Dolmak, Yar and Kahad is now. Before choosing to finish their trip across the bridge.
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
Beautiful. You give them a waypoint on the path to come and see what Possession.
Tysha (Player Character)
But in a cute way. Yeah, this is great.
Azune (Player Character)
Barely possession in a sexy, fun way.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
You see, you guys look at each other and see again. Hal just looks like a hair. Hal is like sleeves rolled. Probably sweating from the effort of all the fucking running around and helping with the Arcanus dramatis Dressing an actor.
Hal (Player Character)
As I look down across you look
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
over as you do that, you can
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
see both of you in spirit. Tycha is not just. Everyone here sees her as a druid walking this path. She is surrounded in a storm of motes of light and leaves and blossoms and fairies.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
Sweet whirling around here, celebrating she who
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
walks the old path.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
In this place.
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
You look at how the paint he has stepped in. You see that in his spirit he is Technicolor. Just that there is story and possibility and dream surrounding him. Swirling up from this paint
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
as you cast that spell.
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
I believe that. Hold on one second. I want to make sure that I'm getting this right. And within that, calling the coroners, calling to the ancestors. You see that as they exist in this place. Those who walk Intermission getting snacks, looking out, begin to look at the murals.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
And you see Shadia. The same sort of spiritual power that's suffusing hell in this place going up
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
from his feet is coming up from Shadia's wrist around her from the painted sword up her arm. And due to the casting of that, calling to the corners, every person,
Vaelys (Player Character)
all
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
creatures capable of speech, understand Runyani spoken in this place from this point forward. The language is understandable to them and you, as everyone gets a bonus to history and performance checks in this place. As they begin to look at the murals throughout and feel the whispers of those who are watching the show now with them for the Rosetta stone Free trial.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
100%.
Hal (Player Character)
Hal watches Tysha moving through the crowd, swirling in all these motes of light. And he's finishing getting this person Prepped for Act 2 and is looking at her going like, fuck, I got too
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
much fucking dinner right now.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
As you're doing this stuff, you see Nevada turns and says, hallendil, we have an enormous problem. Lash has gone full method out of nowhere. And you look over and see that people are holding Lash to the ground as he goes, my children. Where are my children? And you can see they're like. He says, this place, it's beautiful. I want my. Where are they? Azmi. Aruna. And you see, it's the soul of Vokion Mirza. And you see Nevada goes over and starts hitting him with a hand fan, going, this is bullshit. You're just paid to pretend.
Hal (Player Character)
I grab Lash by the side of the head.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
Tell us how you really feel for an intellectual.
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
It's acting.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
It's acting. You are pretending. He says, stop hitting me. Are you one of the priests of Asgra? And she says, give it a rest, Hal. In this moment, what do you do?
Hal (Player Character)
I just grab him by the side of the head. And I am looking at Lash and I am looking at Murzot fused in one. And I just talked to him. Yeah, you are heard. This is your moment to make your lives
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
felt for all the people to come after you. Send yourself, prepare
Hal (Player Character)
for the hardest is yet to come. I give him a good, solid slap to the side of the cheek. Lash, don't fuck it up. At the end,
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
you see, he looks out and says, okay. And wrestles with the spirit of Vokun, who's still within him. Azune and Murray, what are you doing in this place?
Azune (Player Character)
Like, I'm having a great fucking night.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
Hell, yeah.
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
Hell, yeah.
Azune (Player Character)
I'm seeing a dope ass show. I'm getting drunk off a yard. I'm eating some popcorn. I'm talking with fairies and seeing, like, experiencing culture.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
That's great. You guys thought you had the. You guys thought you had the scary quest. You guys had the. You guys had the nice one. I Would love for each of you to give me Arcana now if you'd be so kind.
Azune (Player Character)
Ah, okay.
Tysha (Player Character)
Why can Hala give you the health action?
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
Yeah, take the health action from Hala.
Vaelys (Player Character)
What is that?
Azune (Player Character)
Is that. Does it give me advantage?
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
Yes, gives you advantage. What'd you get?
Azune (Player Character)
Oh, that's right. Cause what'd you get with your deer?
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
Natural 20.
Azune (Player Character)
Oh, wait.
Tyranny (Player Character)
Also you.
Azune (Player Character)
Also you. But what if I. But what if I. I didn't.
Vaelys (Player Character)
But.
Azune (Player Character)
But I didn't do 27 totals.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
God, that's the same thing. God damn. Okay, as this happens, I have your help.
Azune (Player Character)
She's my stress animal.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
This is beautiful. And this ritual is unfolding as it does so. Hal and Tysha, you are fucking in it. You look out and see the spirits. Some of them have begun to rush down the old path, just excited. They found their loved ones and they're
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
off on their way, I think.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
Hal, you also see two. There are obviously way more spirits here
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
than there are named characters in the play.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
But it does seem to be limited to Vulkion's Revolution.
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
Right. You begin to see that there are other spirits in the woods because there are spirits of Oscar's priests that are named in the play who you see are spilling out and fleeing from this place.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
You can see that some of the
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
spirits looking out as they get this
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
celestial status crossing the play. And there is some confusion. You see Vocion obviously is looking for his wife and children who maybe died
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
in the time period he died, maybe didn't. And there is tension as you see
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
the spirits going, trying to find out. Many of them are overjoyed, but some are saying, don't go just yet. Wait for me. I want to see my wife turning back around.
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
As you see this Azune and Murray, you look and see the bridge between Skrataluk, between the dying fields and Ahriman, this river of blood, Gobzidra.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
And you're seeing this in a liminal space.
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
This is happening in the underworld. The underworld, again, was not supposed to be a big geography. It's supposed to be limited liminal space. But 70 years of people not passing on Govzidra is pouring through the tenebral reaches and it's hitting the doorstep of the hallowed round, where it is hitting this brilliant mote of light and turning into paint. But you look around and see that that paint is seeping up through the stones. It's. There is a potent magic here on that nat 20 azune. You look out and see that this bridge is unstable. And as it becomes unstable the dying fields go out towards the Tintasi wood. And something from the tree in the center of the stage, a beam of
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
moonlight, both of them going in the same direction.
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
A stable trinity of bridges.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
As they wheel out, however, you guys can see that there is a tremendous instability here. There is also something that appears to
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
be a painful thing in this space,
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
which is a confusion of these celestial orcish revolutionaries about whether they should walk
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
the path or not because they're unsure
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
if their work is finished or the play is only half done. And I think all of you can
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
feel a sense of confusion. And I think you two specifically, Murray,
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
the frequencies are off. Your teeth are rattling.
Azune (Player Character)
What started out as a really sweet moment is getting chaotic, more and more
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
chaotic as time goes, more and more chaotic. Time goes on to get frequency, starting to get chaotic. And, well, it's almost like too much
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
of a good thing.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
It's like, oh, this is overwhelming. You can both see that gavzidra, this river of blood is being called here. Whatever this ritual is supposed to do was supposed to take this. Gavzidra was the River Styx in the Orcish cosmology. And the ritual's trying to permanently destroy it and rid the world of this thing that was the blood of the
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
Orcish people at the command of a God of war.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
And it's trying to transmute it into a new thing, a new path, something that could bring people peace or allow them to have this paint to potentially create new meaning. But looking out through it, it's a lot. And it's all you in this moment.
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
I think on that nat 20azune specifically go stone of Night song.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
A connection to. You're not sure, but you see lots of fairies around in this space on those high checks. There is a lot of chaos and instability. And I think on that NAT20 as
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
well, you just have a. You hear the pounding of the river Vrosh. There is a river of blood here in the afterlife. And you just. On a nat 20, something tells you, water, the water waterside. And you see Lake Nahami. You feel the power of that in this deep in your chest.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
What do all of you do in
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
this moment of chaos and unrest? Feeling that surge of energy and
Tyranny (Player Character)
having
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
just let my guard down for a moment, watching. And it wasn't even that I was watching the play as much as I was watching the people taking in the play, having this shared experience and then getting this surge. Looking around. My anchors, if you will, are my companions. I know Howl's near the stage. I had Eyes on Valis during the show. And I had eyes on Murray. I'm looking for them. Vaelys is nowhere to be found.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
And I think you probably saw her
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
head out into Tintasi Wood.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
Okay.
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
Do I see Tysha anywhere?
Tysha (Player Character)
Yeah, you would see me sort of across on the far side of the
Azune (Player Character)
round and I had seen visibility. So we are also witnessing what other people are not correct and kind of seeing.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
Yes. You're seeing what other people are not seeing. People are going back to take their. They've got their snacks. The show's about to get started up again and you can tell this was how powerful the show was as it began. And now the ritual cannot. Like, you basically see the magic of this. Doesn't know it's a play. This was this like, it's like great ritual. You guys have snacks. Amazing. You know, like. And so it's just, it's going and it's going to resolve some way or another and. And it wants to be positive, but something's happening out in Tintasi Wood that
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
may impact whether it can even happen at all.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
And if it can't happen, this energy, regardless of the positive intention, will cascade
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
and break through the boundaries.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
And we feel that pull towards the woods. Is that where the sound of water
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
is also kind of?
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
Yeah, it's towards Lake Nahami. You feel that on a nat 20. You feel that especially.
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
I'm going to start to head towards that and if I catch Murray. Yep.
Wakander (Player Character)
I I.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
What's up?
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
Where are you going? Something's I feel calling me this way. Do you feel that surge?
Vaelys (Player Character)
I do.
Azune (Player Character)
You gonna go check it out?
Bolair (Player Character)
Yeah.
Azune (Player Character)
I feel like someone, someone should stay here. Oscar. Where the fuck is Cadigan? He was supposed to be here. Have you seen him doing patrol?
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
No.
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
He must be doing that. I guess he keeps on the outside.
Azune (Player Character)
Go check out the woods. I'm going to check in with Tysha.
Tysha (Player Character)
Tysha, the deer just turns to you.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
Azuna, you have to the forest. Murray, you check in with Tysha. Both of you can see these now. Hal and Tysha, you also become aware
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
of your own position here.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
Tysha, you are very much the high
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
priestess of this ritual and how you are becoming attuned mechanically to the hallowed round.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
You are becoming, feeling yourself as your spirit.
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
This paint is moving around it.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
But you are probably. It's like one minute to places, you
Hal (Player Character)
know, I think in those last seconds I will do two. One is from the wings, from the side of the stage, hidden from view. I will scan the audience looking for Any candescent Creed representatives? I still am. It's not at the forefront of my mind right now. There's lots to worry about. But of course there is a shoe to drop. Is there anybody here right now that I will have to.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
You do not see anybody here right now.
Archie Manning (Advertiser)
Okay.
Hal (Player Character)
I find Lash again.
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
Yeah.
Hal (Player Character)
You seem like you're in a better place. You ready for another go?
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
I'm ready. I'm ready. I. I'm ready.
Hal (Player Character)
Trust yourself. You are the finest actor of your generation.
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
What a gift
Hal (Player Character)
for you, for us.
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
For this city.
Hal (Player Character)
Take it home. And I will pump back in another enhance ability into him. To give him advantage on charisma and on those words. Take it home. Giving him a bardic inspiration as well.
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
Okay.
Hal (Player Character)
I spin him around. I'm not worried in the slightest.
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
Get out there. He takes the stage. Marie and Tysha. In the moments before the play begins
Tysha (Player Character)
again, the moment you flick in, you
Tyranny (Player Character)
get headbutted by Hala.
Tysha (Player Character)
And I'm going to cast guidance via touch through my familiar.
Tyranny (Player Character)
That's right.
Azune (Player Character)
I forgot. I can. So I'm looking at Tycha and the deer, not knowing who to look at.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
The deer is doing the same thing with you.
Tyranny (Player Character)
All right.
Azune (Player Character)
Correct me if I'm wrong. Cause I'm fully out of my league here. But spirits are feeling a little restless. And we do want them to cross this bridge. Right? Cause I don't know how long this sucker's gonna hold.
Tysha (Player Character)
Tyce's response is in Druidic and Runyani together. Which you do understand right now.
Azune (Player Character)
That's right.
Tysha (Player Character)
I can control things from here. But do you see where the problem is?
Azune (Player Character)
It just looks like there's a little bit of panic. I think that some of the spirits, not all, are feeling confused, restless, and feels like they're resisting.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
I'm going to snap and turn one
Tysha (Player Character)
of the spirits around.
Azune (Player Character)
You good.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
You see, the spirit turns around and says, I don't know. I.
Tysha (Player Character)
Hold, please. Okay, fair point.
Azune (Player Character)
I don't know if this is gonna help, but can I? Using thaumaturgy and illusion, kind of in the theater where they dim the lights before the play is about to go. Can I start to dim everything to try and drown out the rest of the noise for the spirits so that they are more focused on just walking the path. Does that make sense?
Tysha (Player Character)
100%.
Azune (Player Character)
All right.
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
Give me an arcana check as you do that. And I would like insight and nature from you.
Azune (Player Character)
Luck. You may use a luck point.
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
I also have guidance.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
You have guidance as well? Yeah.
Azune (Player Character)
It's not Going to help. That was a natural one.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
Okay.
Tysha (Player Character)
I didn't see it.
Azune (Player Character)
It doesn't count. I'll take that 12 though. That's going to be a 23 arcana.
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
23 arcana with guidance.
Tyranny (Player Character)
With guidance.
Archie Manning (Advertiser)
With guidance.
Tysha (Player Character)
19 insight 16 nature 26 arcana on a 19 insight.
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
Tycha. You look out. There's an inherent. There is an issue of belief and of spirit that is impacting the spirits gathered in this place. They want to move on, but they care about the world. How do you. It's easy to say let go of your selfish desires. How do you tell someone to let go of their unselfish desires? How do you tell someone move on? And you can see that these are heroes and they're not sure if they can abandon abandoned this place on that arcana.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
So you see that there is a
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
question of the spirit that these spirits are wrestling with. I know that I'm not supposed to want things for myself, but how can I not stay and keep fighting for something for someone else? And I think on that arcana you can see dimming the lights. You see that Khalzydra is hitting the theater and it's turning into paint which is welling up. Up. That paint is raw magical energy. Thyazzi, whatever he was up to, took a profane thing. And when you blaspheme something profane, double negative, you hopefully get something sacred.
Tysha (Player Character)
I'm so glad that math worked.
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
And what he did was take something which was supposed to be a river of blood. The idea that you die and it just soaks into this river and flows eternally at the behest of dead things. You can see it transmuting into paint in this afterlife. And you can see that it's burgeoning. Like the theater is almost trying to also become a location in the tenebral reaches. It wants to burst out and exist on the spiritual plane as well. But it needs direction and it needs.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
You realize the paint.
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
If paint isn't used, it's just a liquid that's going to explode everywhere. Meaning and intention. These spirits need meaning and intention. And the fundamental act of magic on that 19 which you can't.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
It's not high enough to give you the answer.
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
But what you look at is this paint is just another liquid. It's just another thing. Unless we use it to make it mean something. And that the whole thing that was supposed to happen was what if our people and this river of blood, what if we got to decide what it meant?
Tysha (Player Character)
I think then in my response to
Azune (Player Character)
you,
Tysha (Player Character)
I If you have a better idea than I do about how to stabilize the structure of this ritual, I will do my best to calm the people. But. And then explaining that, like, it's like this is trying to become a place, and I don't.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
That sounds.
Tysha (Player Character)
You do that part. You do that part. I'm gonna talk to everyone. Kind of freaking out.
Azune (Player Character)
Does that feel good?
Vaelys (Player Character)
Wait.
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
What?
Azune (Player Character)
Wait. No. Huh? Solve the bridge problem.
Tyranny (Player Character)
Okay.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
I evil your bridge on a 27 arcana. Come on, Diviner Murray, you're just hanging out. We have to cut to Timazi Wood. Veilis, you are holding. You are holding the Stone of Nightsong. You have lurched forward. Part of it wants to. You know that what the ritual wants this to do, what this theater is doing to it is it wants this
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
to be an anchor. It wants it to create stability, because the tenebral reaches are kind of an abomination. The underworld's not supposed to be this big and literal. So you see in your hands that this, by anchoring it to Faerie, it means that the souls kind of don't have to go through the underworld world.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
They don't have to go through Taconis Land. They don't have to go through.
Azune (Player Character)
They got a fast pass.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
They got a fast pass.
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
But you can feel the ancient songs of Salandri and know that in its active state, you could bring your family home. Hanon, 15ft away, lifts it up in the air. This moment is yours and the yours alone.
Vaelys (Player Character)
Okay. Have I stopped moving, or am I still sort of being.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
You have stopped moving, but it may
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
move you again at any moment.
Vaelys (Player Character)
Okay. I know that this stone was, as I've been told, not built to sit and be admired. Um. I hate both of these paths that you gave me.
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
That's right.
Vaelys (Player Character)
So I have a pitch.
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
I love a pitch.
Vaelys (Player Character)
I have a third option that I'm trying to see if we can wiggle and make a new path. Okay?
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
It's all about new paths.
Vaelys (Player Character)
I need to stand because I'm really nervous.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
Let's go.
Vaelys (Player Character)
So, okay. What if I were to try to split the stone?
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
Okay.
Vaelys (Player Character)
And if I were to split the stone, okay. Making a sacrifice.
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
Okay.
Vaelys (Player Character)
Of
Tyranny (Player Character)
I.
Vaelys (Player Character)
All I have wanted was to get my family to a better place.
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
Yes.
Vaelys (Player Character)
That is all I've wanted.
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
Yes.
Vaelys (Player Character)
In this moment, there are so many people who have that want as well, and I can't deny them that. Is there something I can do? And I have said this so many times that I will put myself on the line, that I will sacrifice something. Can I split Somewhere to somehow do both.
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
Okay.
Vaelys (Player Character)
Or attempt. Is this making sense?
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
Yes.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
You want both.
Tysha (Player Character)
Okay.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
You want both.
Vaelys (Player Character)
But I will die if I will sacrifice something if I need to, because I know this is not what you gave me. This is not what you presented me with.
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
Yes, I understand. I am happy to make a terrible bargain with you.
Bolair (Player Character)
Okay.
Vaelys (Player Character)
All right.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
This is raw magic. It's your belief there are two purposes.
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
That the stone is here.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
And the issue is the reason I
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
gave you those two primary choices, which,
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
other than just throw the stone away
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
and be done with it. Right.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
I gave you those two choices, is
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
that there are powerful magical forces pushing in both directions. If you want to play with chance, then we have to leave it up
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
to a roll of the dice.
Vaelys (Player Character)
Okay.
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
But playing with chance means.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
Playing with chance means. Playing with chance means that I'm going
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
to ask you for a religion check.
Vaelys (Player Character)
Okay?
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
If you are able to get a
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
25 on a religion check, you will get everything. You'll get everything.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
If you get under a 25, I
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
will require you to pick one of the two options. But if you get under a 10, there is a chance you will die on the spot and both will fail.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
Ooh, fucking love stories. Oh, can't fail.
Vaelys (Player Character)
No. I'm gonna do it.
Tysha (Player Character)
It's good.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
I'm gonna grab towels.
Bolair (Player Character)
I'm just gonna roll.
Vaelys (Player Character)
I'm just gonna roll.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
So that means a 9 or lower on a religion check.
Bolair (Player Character)
Yeah.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
A 9 or lower on a religion check is your family's doomed to the underworld and the ritual is. Who knows what happens to the ritual? But you will suffer a grievous injury
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
on a nine or lower.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
What do you add to religion?
Hal (Player Character)
5.
Tyranny (Player Character)
So can hand in cast guidance from 15 cast guidance.
Vaelys (Player Character)
I have my cat's guidance and my
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
cast guidance on yourself.
Hal (Player Character)
And if you fail, this will be cool as shit.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
So stop.
Azune (Player Character)
Don't go out there.
Tysha (Player Character)
What are you doing?
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
On a 25, you get it all. Which means that you're gonna need guidance to basically not need a nat 20 in the middle. You will have to pick. But I will have. Yes.
Vaelys (Player Character)
I won't be getting a 25 unless.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
But we can go ahead and roll. Cause you might hit a nat 20. Let's roll the guidance die first.
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
It's that way.
Tysha (Player Character)
If you do this four.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
Four.
Azune (Player Character)
Yes.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
Now what a four means because you add a plus five. Is that on a 16 or higher, you get the best possible result. That's okay, Ashley.
Tysha (Player Character)
If you roll a natural 20, I'm gonna have my child right now.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
On a 16 are possible.
Archie Manning (Advertiser)
On a 16.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
On a 16. Oh, my God.
Tysha (Player Character)
Yeah.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
On a 16 are possible, but you're adding a plus nine, which means that. Which means that the case where you just die automatically only happens on a natural one. Golly. On a natural one. Ashley, we are vaelis.
Vaelys (Player Character)
Will be done.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
Will be done. Will be torn asunder by magic.
Vaelys (Player Character)
It's fine.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
So we're looking for a 16 or higher. We are looking to avoid a natural one.
Hal (Player Character)
All options are fucking awesome.
Vaelys (Player Character)
Okay, I want to talk this through with Hanon just for a second.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
Yes. You look at Hanon. He looks up. What are you doing? What's happening?
Vaelys (Player Character)
I have lots of things that I want to do here, but I just want to say that. I, I. She was wrong, so Landry was wrong. And I'm gonna take my sensor and I'm gonna smash.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
Incredible. Now I need to take a moment here.
Vaelys (Player Character)
Okay?
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
You made amazing pitch. You made an amazing pitch.
Vaelys (Player Character)
Okay.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
It was fucking awesome. And so that's why roll a new character. This pitch is incredible, but I just need us to be aware that we have to have a certain degree of. We need to have a certain degree
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
of awareness that a die roll may
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
come up at this.
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
It's not a large chance, but there is a 5% chance that Vaelys, in
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
attempting to do the impossible, to have it all.
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
That's awesome.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
May upend her life. And I think as you reach out and say Salandri was wrong, you realize
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
that choices like this, choices with tremendous
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
cost,
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
are never guaranteed. Many before. You have risked everything for the best world, have risked everything for the dream of their people and paid the price behind you. You hear the play begin again. A story of people that sacrificed everything and lost. You may be about to join them. I'd like you to roll.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
Oh, okay.
Vaelys (Player Character)
I do this one.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
14. 14 plus 9 is not 25.
Archie Manning (Advertiser)
No.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
So, Azune, you come thundering. I'm looking so mad, so good. Azaneh, you come thundering into the clearing. Yeah. You look and see in this moment that Vaelys is here, holding on to the stone of Nightsong. The censer comes down.
Vaelys (Player Character)
I just let out just this massive scream.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
As it goes down, it shatters. Two things are happening simultaneously.
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
Salandri was wrong is what you say. As the sensor comes down.
Azune (Player Character)
Boom.
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
As it does, Azune, you rush into the clearing.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
The stone is struck. You see it about to shatter apart. Raw magical energy is coursing everywhere. Azune, you get one opportunity, because, as I said, On a 23, we can't have our cake and eat it too.
Vaelys (Player Character)
No, I know.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
Azune. You see the terrible choice before Baelas. As the power of the stone is rippling out before her. You see crying out. You see literally. You hear the voice of a beast
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
older than time say remember.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
And you see the veil that Vaelys
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
is wearing being taken off her her sister's body. You see her family in the underworld.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
But you also see all of the spirits of Vokan's revolution that need this thing to anchor them. It can't do both. You have one moment to say something to Vaelys to help this decision. Cause she's gotta make one or the other choice.
Azune (Player Character)
Oh,
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
I gotta stand up too.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
Here we go.
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
How far away is she from me?
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
20ft.
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
I'm going to run to you. Where is this river?
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
Right now you are at the shore of Lake Nahami. You're right in between the forest. And you see this stone is going. It's getting brighter and brighter. It's about to explode in magical energy one way or the other. But a choice has to be made. And if a choice isn't made, I'm going to choose a bunch of terrible things for you.
Wakander (Player Character)
Oh my God.
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
That voice is ringing in my mind as I'm running towards you. And I see your hand on this.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
What looks like shattered, yet being held together almost magnetically.
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
In a way, maybe I rushed to you. I put my hand on top of yours and.
Vaelys (Player Character)
What are you doing?
Bolair (Player Character)
Wait.
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
Wait.
Tyranny (Player Character)
What?
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
What do you want? What do you want? What do you. What do you dream? What do you hope? A year from now, 10 years from now? What do you wish? What do you wish?
Vaelys (Player Character)
I wish to be with my family.
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
You say aloud. I wish to be with my family.
Azune (Player Character)
Monkey's ball.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
Get him.
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
I wish to be. But I wasn't done.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
Important for all.
Azune (Player Character)
I swear I wasn't.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
I love it.
Vaelys (Player Character)
But I don't think I can live. The rest of my days knowing that I let everybody else suffer. I'm gonna let go of the stone that I broke. And I'm gonna let it go to the ritual.
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
As you do that.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
Unbelievable.
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
The voices of your family in the underworld fade. Phelis. You risked it all. You stand the magic room Azune looking at this.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
In this moment. The stone of Nightsong is shattered. But it needs to anchor somehow. It's still unstable on that nat 20 you got before.
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
What do you do in this moment?
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
As you look at this raw, pulsing
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
magical energy, I think I register the impact of what you just did. I reach out with one hand And I grab a hold of Aaylus's hand. And with my free hand I reach into this magic. Yeah. And I speak the word. In Charlotte.
Bolair (Player Character)
Remember.
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
Both of you watch as the waters of Lake Nahami tremble. The waterfall falling into it from the city rushes. And you watch something enormous, gleaming flow down through the river. Light ripples across the entirety of Lake Nahami. And you hear a voice say, remember. A dragon raises its head from the lake. Not a metaphor. Beautiful. Its head is the size of several carriages, end to end. And they're horse trains. It looks down in fluent Navi Khan. It looks to you, Azune. And goes, yes. Remember, Let us keep it safe. Puts its claw down into the heart of the magic and pushes it into the earth right where the water meets the forest. Blossoms everywhere.
Bolair (Player Character)
Where?
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
And the dragon shoots down the river.
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
As you both watch, the dragon of the river Vrosh awakens. The first dragon to awaken in this land. In living memory. As the shore permanently anchors to Faerie. A door does not open, but you feel crystals growing deep underground. As both of you watch. And Murray. Back at the theater, the play starts. And you don't know what Azune and Baelis have just done in this space. But you can feel the bridges become stable.
Azune (Player Character)
I'm such a good dwarf. I don't even know what I did, but I just stabilized that bridge.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
The deer pours you a shot of Yargraph hollow. You vaelys. And Hanon drops to the ground. What has just happened is so outrageous. No one you know has seen a dragon other than something summoned. That's a magical lesser things. This thing that just raised its head and looked at you with a look
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
of deep recognition,
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
went back down into the water.
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
And both of you see the ground glowing underneath you. I don't know. Don't look at me. I don't know.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
How does that know what you were.
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
Where's the stone right now?
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
Hanon
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
touches both of you and casts water breathing. And dives into the water. And you can see that something is glowing under the water. Casts water breathing on us.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
Yeah.
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
On both of you. And says, I'm gonna go. He stops and goes and holds your face. Are you okay?
Tyranny (Player Character)
Yes.
Vaelys (Player Character)
I don't know if I did the right thing.
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
He just pulls you and kisses your cheek and says, You have done something so selfless. And I promise you this. The victory you won for this city, these people today. I understand that you missed the certainty of what you wish to do for your family. I join your fight that the home you have bought for them. We Will buy for yours. We will see it done, and it will be done the longer and harder way. And I relish that journey with you.
Vaelys (Player Character)
Thank you.
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
He turns and slips into the water. And you see that there is an underwater cavern that is glowing with light here at the edge of this place. He did something to us. Do you intend to follow him?
Vaelys (Player Character)
Yes, I do.
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
I will go with you, if you will let me.
Vaelys (Player Character)
Gladly. Let's go.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
Come on, Lash. I got this. So you guys both go down there into the water, swim through the water and see that where the water meets
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
the forest, you look over.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
Unfortunately, no one from the Soldier's Table is here. Who has seen a similar cavern to this one. Shut up. But
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
a cavern under the shore of Lake Nahar, where it meets Tintazi Wood. You swim into it and the roots come down. And these are mossy and flowering roots. And a crystal formation the size of a house, with spires of crystal in all directions, glows with light. And you can hear the hum of nightingale spirits on the other side. The Stone of Nightsong, as a relic of of your order, is destroyed. What is created here is an anchor. Exactly what was referenced in the letters of the cloak and of Thiazi. An anchor of fae energy. It does not open a door from here to Faerie. It does not solve that problem in and of itself. But what it does is it gives a chance to those spirits that we saw at the play. And you do see, as well as you all look, you are being buffeted with a powerful fey energy. Tintasi Wood is brimming with fairy energy. And this place is a new something like a source of power that right now, no one in the world other than the three of you and that
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
dragon that appeared a moment before knows exists.
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
That spoke to you in the language of your people.
Archie Manning (Advertiser)
Yes.
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
You guys stand here. Hanon looks and says, this is the most beautiful. The Fair folk have been slowly dying in this world, but I cannot imagine that they would simply march into death. I have never beheld a source of fey power like this in my life. And I would like to make the request that after today and the incredible sacrifices made here, that we really try to stop winging it as much as we seem to have.
Vaelys (Player Character)
I don't know what you're talking about.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
We're gonna move from here really quickly.
Vaelys (Player Character)
May I grab a couple little bits of moss from the door? Okay.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
Yes, you grab some bits of moss.
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
Go ahead and give me a nature
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
check anyone who wants to the space. Or you can give me Arcana as
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
Well, as you'd like. If you'd like.
Bolair (Player Character)
Yeah.
Hal (Player Character)
Ooh.
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
22 arcana.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
22 arcana azune. This is a. I think what you
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
recognize this as is this is like a refuge. It is like a place of fey protection and power in. In a world that is grimly lacking
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
those on a 22 as well. I think you would be probably interested
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
in not knowing how this is impacting what you saw happening at the theater. Yeah.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
What did we roll here?
Vaelys (Player Character)
1212.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
Okay.
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
You are there with Hanon. Incredible. Trying to see if there's a way to translate that to something that Azune knows. Does it feel like a safe house almost? Yeah. Feels like a safe house.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
What it's supposed to do is create this anchor.
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
It's taken something that's like planar travel.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
And you remember conjuration and necromance. The things you saw at the theater.
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
Fairy is this other realm that goes
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
from something that would be wobbly and creates a third. It's like a three legged stool. It creates something that allows it to.
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
To rest in another realm.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
Stability. And that stability appears to be echoing
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
raw magical potential out from it.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
But I think there may be. You don't know what's happening back at
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
the theater right now. Hanon looks and says, well, very glad. My search for Mara led me to this place. I have witnessed, call it three or four of the most significant magical events I've heard of in the world.
Vaelys (Player Character)
It's been a bit of a day. I have an idea of where Mara is at.
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
You do?
Vaelys (Player Character)
Yes. How?
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
Did you see it in the. In your vision?
Vaelys (Player Character)
Uh, no. I just. I.
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
We've been working together. Even if we haven't been aware of it.
Vaelys (Player Character)
We all.
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
We know where Mara's at. Where is she? Obra, Ms. Manor. She's being held captive by House Deconis. Phyllis. You knew this? I just learned it as you.
Vaelys (Player Character)
I did this.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
Give me a deception check.
Vaelys (Player Character)
No, I didn't. I didn't learn this. I did know this. I did know this. I'm sorry I didn't tell you because I don't know. I don't know who to trust. Hannon. I don't know what you want with her. I don't know what. This is insane. Okay.
Tyranny (Player Character)
There's fucking dragon.
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
All right. I don't wish to quarrel in this place.
Vaelys (Player Character)
Sorry. I don't know you that well. But yes, she.
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
I'll take the blame. We've done so much to make Vaelys mistrust us. He says all right over Ms. Manor. Fine. I very well captured by the Takonas.
Vaelys (Player Character)
Yes.
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
I must away. I must away.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
And you see, he turns and says,
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
I hope I see you again soon. And you see that he begins to swim out from the cavern.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
What do you guys do in this cool crystal cave? That's his butt.
Hal (Player Character)
I just.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
I don't know this crystal cave.
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
I know there's so much happening where we just came from.
Hal (Player Character)
This is.
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
I'm in awe of this.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
I just.
Wakander (Player Character)
I can't.
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
I put a hand on the crystal cavern and just feel it tactilely. We have to go back.
Vaelys (Player Character)
We have to go back.
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
And I swim forward. You guys head back.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
As you do so you swim back up Vaylis Azune begins to head back to the theater.
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
On a distant shore, you can see basically casting cold lightning is handed. He's casting a multi minute spell, getting ready to go fuck shit up.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
So you see Azsuna heading back to the theater.
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
And you see Hanon over there preparing himself for whatever is waiting at Oprah Mist Manor. Is there anything else that you guys
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
do before you head back to the theater?
Azune (Player Character)
We got a hole in the table to catch on.
Vaelys (Player Character)
I know.
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
Are you coming? I'll stop as I head forward and I turn just to see if you're coming.
Hal (Player Character)
Are you coming?
Vaelys (Player Character)
Yes, I'm coming with you. Please be safe.
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
You see, he looks and says, all right.
Vaelys (Player Character)
Do you need any help?
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
I wish that I had known a member of my order was in grave danger sooner.
Azune (Player Character)
Boyfriend's mad at you.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
You see, he says, first of all, he goes, I require very little.
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
But if you. He says, I don't know how much danger she's in. I don't either. He says, once again, you will make a choice. Go where your heart tells you.
Azune (Player Character)
He's saying he's gonna go take a walk.
Vaelys (Player Character)
Okay.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
Yeah.
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
You see, he says, says, if you wish to come aid me, you may. But I would not ask that of you. I do not know your companion. He owes me nothing. But
Vaelys (Player Character)
be safe.
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
I will do the best I can. And you go with Azunas back to the theater.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
Great. You head back. As you. As you head back out, you guys get back to the theater.
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
And I think that's where we're gonna take our break.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
Oh, okay.
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
That's where we're gonna take our break.
Tysha (Player Character)
Can I just say one little thing?
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
Yeah.
Tysha (Player Character)
If Hanon starts casting call lightning within the mile area of effect that I have for call corners, I think in the midst of trying to calm these spirits. I don't care. I feel a druid casting a spell I can also cast. I'm going to chain that call Lightning to open up the area of effect so he has more space to work with.
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
Amazing. Amazing.
Wakander (Player Character)
Cool.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
I don't know why we're mad, but we're mad. Hell yes. Hell yes. Unbelievable.
Azune (Player Character)
All the dogs at 101 all makes it right. Cool.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
We will come back to team theater later because right now we're taking our break.
Narrator/Announcer
Incredible.
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
And that's where we'll leave our story for now.
Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
Part two of this episode of Campaign 4 drops this Tuesday. Thanks for listening and we'll see you
Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
soon for more critical role.
Vaelys (Player Character)
What's going on?
Archie Manning (Advertiser)
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Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)
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Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
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Wakander (Player Character)
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Brennan Lee Mulligan (Guest DM)
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Narrator/Announcer
Visit simplisafe.com licenses for alarm license information. Tennessee2012.
Original Air Date: June 25, 2026
This episode immerses the players and audience in the aftermath of a society-altering ritual, as the party navigates political intrigue, spiritual crossroads, and personal sacrifice. As opening night of Kotherai’s play in Dolmakyar reawakens forgotten afterlives and stirs ancient magics, characters are pulled between their desires, duties, and legacies—culminating in tense choices with citywide consequences.
“You may will the stone to participate in this ritual, the one that made you and Hanon weep…Or…find those members of your family in the Tenebral reaches and bring them to Faerie along with yourself, which…I need to state would be the same as dying.” – Brennan Lee Mulligan, Guest DM [17:04]
Setting:
The forest of Tintasi Wood, at the edge of a surging magical ritual, alongside Hanon—an elf, former enemy now companion.
“I would trade this immortal life that new voices of our people might…Young voices might be in the world again. And if this can happen…I would trade it back.” — Hanon [09:49]–[12:01], DM as Hanon
Memorable Moment:
Vaelys and Hanon choose, hand-in-hand, to hold the Stone of Nightsong together as it activates in a flash of moonlight, transporting them into a liminal, dangerous state. ([13:30]–[14:50])
Key Conflict:
Vaelys must decide what to do with the Stone of Nightsong as the ritual’s magic threatens to spiral out of control.
The Stone can either:
The spiritual and emotional stakes are heightened as the DM (Mercer and Mulligan) underscore the impossible weight:
“You may, in this moment, find those members of your family in the Tenebral reaches and bring them to Faerie along with yourself, which would be the same as dying…Or you may do some other thing.” — Brennan Lee Mulligan [17:04]
“You have my word by the light itself that I am at your disposal.” — Wakander [43:00]
“You were the first I found and I’m so sorry. You were the only one I didn’t look for.” — Bolaire [52:07]
“A sixth level disintegrate spell that does 75 damage on average…” — Brennan Lee Mulligan [65:02]
“This magic beats in the heart of Ahriman. And it’s just that you guys get to see it with your own two eyes in this moment.” — Dungeon Master [79:19]
"If paint isn’t used, it’s just a liquid that’s going to explode everywhere. Meaning and intention. These spirits need meaning and intention.” — DM [105:05]
“The dragon of the river Vrosh awakens…the first dragon to awaken in this land in living memory. As the shore permanently anchors to Faerie…crystals growing deep underground.” — DM [121:31]
Vaelys & Hanon on their people’s future ([12:00])
“I would trade [immortal life] back. In a second.”
— Vaelys
The Impossible Choice, Broken Stone ([109:47]–[115:15])
“Salandri was wrong. And I’m gonna take my sensor and I’m gonna smash.”
— Vaelys
Dragon’s Awakening ([121:31])
"A dragon raises its head from the lake...It looks down in fluent Navi Khan. It looks to you Azune and goes, 'Yes. Remember. Let us keep it safe.' "
— Dungeon Master
DMs on Stakes ([111:09])
“A nine or lower on a religion check is your family’s doomed to the underworld and the ritual is…who knows what happens to the ritual? But you will suffer a grievous injury…”
— Brennan Lee Mulligan
Bolaire–Termina Standoff, Narrow Escape ([65:02])
"A sixth level disintegrate spell that does 75 damage on average..."
— Brennan Lee Mulligan, after Bolaire miraculously survives
This episode stands out for its emotional stakes, challenging moral choices, and a sense that world-changing history is unfolding in real time. Highlights include the closely-woven spiritual and political tensions, an edge-of-seat escape from certain doom, and the risk-laden hope that comes from self-sacrifice.
The players’ improvisation and the DMs’ willingness to court true uncertainty (via significant dice rolls) combine to make this episode both a milestone for the story and an example of collaborative storytelling at its finest.
— Hanon to Vaelys [124:47]