Seeking Sanctuary | Critical Role | Campaign 4, Episode 13 Part 2

Summary

Podcast Summary: Critical Role – “Seeking Sanctuary,” Campaign 4, Episode 13 Part 2 (Feb 10, 2026)

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Overview

In this tense and emotionally charged episode of Critical Role, the party regroups in the aftermath of traumatic events, seeking safety—and answers—amid growing political intrigue and supernatural threats. As their position in Castle Klippenblik grows more tenuous, they debate escape plans, dig into unresolved mysteries, and ultimately make a daring bid for sanctuary within a sacred druidic grove. Themes of trust, loyalty, the consequences of power, and the shadow of the past loom large as uneasy allegiances and hidden motivations come to light.

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Key Discussion Points & Story Beats

1. Assessing Safety at Castle Klippenblik [02:26–09:51]

• Julian, in distress and partially drunk, is visited by Erinessa who checks on him after intercepted messages and mounting suspicion.
• Octus and Tycha join, sharing their growing concern about Lord Einfassen’s intentions.
• The group compares notes on detained allies, intercepted messages, and the falsified story that they've "absconded to Faerie", suspecting a wider conspiracy ("There's that thing behind their eyes—pity. I don't think there's a more dangerous feeling in the world." – Erinessa, [06:37]).
• Consensus grows that “something’s not right” and immediate departure may be necessary.

2. Revelations & Theories: The Palazzo Attack and Motivations [14:40–21:20]

• Party analyzes the violent events at Palazzo Divinos, with Octus recounting his near-death experience and the theft of the “Stone of Nightsong.”
• Questions arise about House Takonis’ motives, possible betrayals, and whether Octus’ family orchestrated the theft and blame.
• Tycha shares conflicting narratives: Takonis accuses Royce of murder; Royce claims Takonis obliterated two houses.
• “Even if both stories were to be believed, the severity of one, no offense, wildly outweighs the other.” – Tycha, [22:56].

3. Planning the Escape: Strategy and Risks [24:04–32:29]

• The party debates how to slip out undetected while leaving behind clear evidence to exonerate themselves.
• Octus decides to leave an arcane letter stating “Royce did not kill me. My family did.” ([34:47]).
• They coordinate roles: Tycha will get the horses; the rest will exit from Julian’s window using Feather Fall.
• “Quick weather check. I want to cast druidcraft just to get a little weather forecast for what the evening’s going to look like.” – Tycha, [42:55].

4. Daring Escape from the Castle [42:51–59:46]

• Tension spikes when Tycha notes the arrival of a black carriage: “Is it… Taconis black?” ([47:46]).
• Tycha, using magic and quick thinking, incapacitates a stable hand and orchestrates the release and gathering of horses ([53:02]).
• Octus, Erinessa, and others covertly leap from the window with Feather Fall, landing amid city revelers unnoticed ([57:19]).
• The team regroups outside the castle, successfully avoiding detection thanks to a well-executed stealth maneuver.

5. Pursuit and Choosing a Path to Sanctuary [59:28–64:02]

• As the alarm is raised and knights pursue, Tycha must choose between various escape routes: the pulley gate or the druidic grove (Shongarten).
• A tense but successful pair of animal handling checks lands them at Shongarten, the druidic sanctuary: “The gate is closed… but as always, a door is left unlocked for those seeking sanctuary.” ([69:29]).
• Tycha reads the rune for “sanctuary” (in Giant) and leads the group inside.

6. Inside the Grove: Seeking Shelter, Facing New Challenges [69:29–88:13]

• The party is welcomed by Mozor (Druid, Circle of Stone), offered sanctuary, but asked for honesty about Octus’ unusual condition.
• Octus reveals his undead nature and agrees to avoid sacred food and water.
• Relaxed moment: “Do you trust him with his own [life]?”/“He is part of a bigger conversation… But perhaps not tonight.” ([73:50]).
• As they settle in, apprehension lingers about the sisters of Octus and potential pursuit.

7. Druidic Politics and Ominous Encounters [91:23–end]

• Tycha is summoned to meet two imposing druids: Amadal Toadstool (bearfolk) and a wild-elven druid with living wood ribs.
• The elven druid confronts Tycha: "You've brought something that needs to die into this camp." ([93:20]).
• The episode ends on this tense cliffhanger.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Paranoia and Pity:
  "There's that thing behind their eyes... Pity. I don't think there's a more dangerous feeling in the world."
  — Erinessa ([06:37])

• Juxtaposing Loyalties:
  "Blood in the water."
  — Tycha, referencing political pragmatism among the houses ([26:14])

• The Nature of Power:
  "Her house did make the same choice. The lesson they learned…"
  — Narration on Erinessa’s realization about her family’s past mistakes ([27:47])

• Octus on His Family:
  "My family are sorcerers of undeath... Petra and Raya are his first children... they're the most powerful probably of my siblings."
  — Octus ([87:29])

• On Trust in Sanctuary:
  "Do you trust him with his own [life]?"
  — Mozor ([73:50])
  "He is part of a bigger conversation... Perhaps not tonight."
  — Tycha

• Cliffhanger Confrontation:
  "You've brought something that needs to die into this camp."
  — Wild-elven Druid ([93:20])

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• [02:26] – Reunion and reassessing security in the castle
• [14:40] – Deeper mystery: The Palazzo, the stolen relic, and clashing narratives
• [24:04] – Escape planning and political gambits
• [34:47] – Octus’s letter and arcane evidence
• [47:46] – Arrival of the black carriage (Taconis threat looms)
• [53:02] – Tycha sabotages the stable, seeds the escape
• [57:19] – Feather Fall window escape; group stealth check
• [59:28] – Chase and forked path: pulley gate or druidic grove?
• [69:29] – Arrival at Shongarten, the druidic sanctuary
• [73:50] – Sanctuary's conditional welcome ("Do you trust him with his own [life]?")
• [91:23] – Summons to meet Circle of Stone and Circle of Hunt druids
• [93:20] – Druidic confrontation: "You've brought something that needs to die into this camp"

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Tone & Style

The episode blends high fantasy political intrigue, dark family drama, and tense escape with the signature improvisational humor and camaraderie of Critical Role. Moments of levity—such as Tycha’s banter and the group ribbing Octus about his family’s secrets—are offset by ominous tension, tragedy, and philosophical musings on loyalty, survival, and the cost of power.

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Conclusion

“Seeking Sanctuary” delivers Critical Role’s trademark mix of suspense, worldbuilding, and character-focused drama. The party’s harrowing escape, complex interpersonal dynamics, and the unresolved question of where true safety lies set the stage for high-stakes conflict to come—both with enemies pursuing outside the grove, and possibly, within. The session closes on a nerve-wracking meeting with the mysterious druids, a reminder that sanctuaries, too, demand their own reckoning.

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For listeners: This episode is a must for fans invested in the party’s fate, as major plotlines converge and the nature of the world, its politics, and its magic deepen further. The escape and new alliances could define the campaign’s next arc.

Transcript

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[Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)]

It's why she lifts heavy weights and likes complicated recipes. But for booking her trip to Paris, Olivia chose the easy way with Expedia. She bundled her flight with a hotel to save more. Of course, she still climbed all 674 steps to the top of the Eiffel Tower. You were made to take the easy route. We were made to easily package your trip. Expedia made to travel flight inclusive packages are atoll protected. Hello again, it's Brennan Lee Mulligan and you're listening to part two of this episode of Critical Role. If you haven't checked out part one yet, pause this now and there first. What are you doing? Otherwise, let's jump right back into this adventure and the world of Ahriman. Hello. Wow. Welcome back. Welcome back to tonight's episode of Critical Role. Last we left off in the schnefen keep of the castle of House Einfassen.

[Octus]

Schneef.

[Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)]

Schneef and keep. Schneef and keep.

[Tycha]

What's the name of that castle again?

[Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)]

Oh, the castle Klippenblik. Klippenblik. Klippenblik.

[Tycha]

I love it.

[Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)]

I love it.

[Tycha]

Every new word is like a new Ikea furniture. I want to build. That new Klippenblik lamp is so. Oh my God, it's so good.

[Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)]

What. What state is Julian in when Erinessa knocks on his door?

[Erinessa]

Oh boy. He is halfway through the bottle. So he's not destroyed. But he's certainly not sober. His face is a mess and just hearing the knocking originally, he sober's up 5%, sets the bottle aside, hides the gauntlet and immediately goes to wiping his face before pausing.

[Tycha]

And then.

[Erinessa]

Who is it?

[Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)]

Julianne it's me.

[Erinessa]

Just a moment.

[Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)]

Opens the door, she looks in. I didn't mean to disturb you, Julian. I just wanted to check in on you. How did it fare with the letter?

[Erinessa]

I have a redundancy in place, as it seemed that their paranoia was sufficient to see my initial missive intercepted. So, at the very least, the hope is some sort of information will make its way to our estates.

[Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)]

Our safety cannot be guaranteed outside the walls of the castle. And so Lord Einfausen is hoping that we stay. Has he made any motion about our men at arms, who I believe are supposed to be being released from being held at this moment?

[Erinessa]

I have not seen them released.

[Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)]

No.

[Erinessa]

I assume that was part of your discussion. My lady. You seem concerned. How safe do you feel within these walls?

[Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)]

If the Einfasin had come to the Golden Orchard, let's say young Ingrid in the company of a Druid of the Old Path and an Elven warrior, I probably would've commanded that she not leave on her own. So there is some sense in us not being safe to leave. However, this city does have soldiers of ours and servants who have been arrested. So we could be allowed to leave with our own guard.

[Erinessa]

Perhaps if we make such a request for the morning to be on our way, to be with our hopefully, surviving families. That could be understood. And a means of getting our individuals and materials outside of their courtyard.

[Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)]

What do you wish to do? Something's not right. The Einfausen, we're not behind this. But there's a way. They're moving. The way the whole world has been moving. The way everyone looks at us. There's that thing behind their eyes.

[Erinessa]

It's.

[Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)]

Pity. I don't think there's a more dangerous feeling in the world.

[Erinessa]

I'm very familiar with it. Well, if you do not feel safe, then perhaps we begin to discuss alternative ways of spending this evening. Where you go, I go. And where Arctis goes, I imagine we also go.

[Octus]

It's all right. At this point, I would like to also knock on the door of Julian's room, which I can hear talking as I've been looking to return a bag that I am in charge of.

[Tycha]

Yeah.

[Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)]

Erinnessa looks over at you. Who is it?

[Tycha]

It's me.

[Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)]

It's your room, Julian.

[Erinessa]

Pull the door open and grab you. And pull you close it from behind.

[Octus]

Sorry, I just. Your bag.

[Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)]

Thank you.

[Octus]

Welcome. That's it? I just wanted to. What's going on?

[Erinessa]

No, stay by the moment.

[Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)]

We're discussing how safe we feel here at Castle Flippenpeck.

[Octus]

Not at all.

[Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)]

Safer than a worst case scenario. But Octus, I don't think you're very safe here.

[Octus]

No, I'm not.

[Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)]

It all just depends on? There are explanations for the Lord Einfassen's behavior that are innocent. One thing we spoke of was him asking if the Taconis would tell the same version of the story. As they are both his allies, the Royce and the Takonas.

[Octus]

Are they? Has he heard word from my family?

[Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)]

My understanding is that yes, he has indeed.

[Octus]

And I'm guessing that the story does not match up.

[Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)]

No.

[Octus]

Right.

[Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)]

It turns out that we have absconded to Faerie.

[Erinessa]

Wouldn't that have been nice?

[Octus]

It would have been incredible.

[Tycha]

Elven.

[Erinessa]

At the very least, I think a very upfront request to be on our way towards our intended destinations. And their reaction to such a request would be very telling.

[Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)]

I agree.

[Tycha]

Yeah.

[Octus]

I would like to not be here.

[Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)]

Octus, it is late and we do need sleep, but would you be able to gather? I think we should speak with Tycha and with are companions such as she is.

[Narrator/Advertiser]

Phelis.

[Octus]

Right. One second. Can I briefly go into Pin's vision knowing that Pyn is staying with you? Are you still meeting with.

[Tycha]

Would this have been enough time for me to. That was a very brief conversation.

[Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)]

Brief conversation? Yeah.

[Tycha]

If we're walking back then I'm petting and cooing into Pin's ear like it's time to get the fuck out of here. We have places to go.

[Octus]

Jump back in my body. Tysha is currently holding Pin and also wants to leave.

[Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)]

One moment. Erinessa steps out, walks down the hallway and knocks on Vaelys door.

[Tycha]

Vaelys is mending her own clothes and also writing a letter. And I will go to open the door.

[Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)]

Hello. Could we borrow you for a minute to speak of things yet to come?

[Tycha]

Yes, of course.

[Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)]

Thank you. I appreciate it. And I think calls you in Julian's quarters. That smells richly of wine. The lady Erins sits. You're seated. One of you has a chair at a small writing desk. The other are at the small bench at the foot of the bed. You see that? She looks out and says Our Lord Einfassen is either waiting to get more information and keeping us here because we are perhaps fugitives from some betrayal of our own or what have you. I don't see the chambers flooding with our released servants or men at arms, which could have been something that would have happened by now. However, The explanations are either the paranoia of the Iron Fasen or something more sinister. We just don't know. And I would love to know. Yeah, I would love to know how much danger we are in here. I would love to know if perhaps it's a wasted effort to discover how much danger we're in, if we should instead just leave. And knowing that the Takonis have fabricated a lie that we. That the House of Royce and its vassals have left for Faerie something that will be disprovable. I will ask you, Aktus, is it in the style or manner of your family to commit themselves to such an outrageous and disprovable lie?

[Octus]

Well, depending on what the actual exact words of the lie were, I would say they would only commit themselves to a outlandish thing if they felt that there was no way anyone would either go looking or they feel like everyone's too scared to ask questions.

[Tycha]

And there's no way it could possibly be true.

[Octus]

I don't know what the exact phrasing was. Obviously you didn't go to Ferry or standing here.

[Erinessa]

Do we know where our horses were kept?

[Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)]

They've been stabled.

[Erinessa]

Perhaps we leave a letter with the last bit of our intent and our emphatically given perspective across all of this. Then, before more can be. Discovered of our intent, we abscond into the evening and continue on our path.

[Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)]

Your message will be sent tomorrow morning.

[Erinessa]

I guess we shall see. But it will not matter if we are being held.

[Octus]

Did they say anything else about what's going on back in Domachir?

[Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)]

No. Another reason people lie is outlandishly from time to time is urgency. If they don't have time to think of something better. Right. Do you know or have any inkling? And I ask this also of Tysha and Vaelysk, for both of you are connected finally. Here now. Yes, we're all here. She ushers you into the room as well. The events that occurred at the Palazzo Divinos were violent, frightening, nightmarish. My mind was focused on nothing more than survival. However, a relic of your people. Centered in the machinations of the Taconis and Tycha. I believe you saw beyond the threshold of this world.

[Tycha]

I did.

[Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)]

It is obvious from the mundane fact that we all escaped with our lives, that things did not go to plan. According to House Takonis.

[Tycha]

No.

[Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)]

But why do I feel like. I don't know what we disrupted?

[Octus]

I don't either. I didn't see anything. I mean, I was in the room with you until I was, you know. So I didn't see what happened to the rest of the house. It's. From my perspective, everything that happened was Very much against me. But they didn't ethernd was in the room. And he didn't try and kill you?

[Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)]

He walked away?

[Octus]

Yeah.

[Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)]

He left the lady of a sundered house and walked away to let his ghouls finish the job.

[Octus]

Which is not necessary, necessarily. Unheard of. But if you were the target, he wouldn't have done that. But why? As a byproduct, try and destroy a house if that's the case? If I'm the target, why?

[Tycha]

What was he trying to do to you? Do you know?

[Octus]

He said that the name should have been enough and that I should have accepted what I was given. But I don't know. He just killed me. That was what I remember. He put a silence bubble in the room. Stopped me from casting any of my spells, garrotted me to a table and split me open. That is what happened. And that is the last thing I remember until I woke up.

[Tycha]

Pardon me for I didn't want to press you on this, especially so soon. But if he was just there to kill you, why the stone? Why did he have your heart when you were leaving? They.

[Octus]

I don't know. I don't know why he took it. And I don't know what they're doing with it because it obviously didn't come back with me.

[Tycha]

I don't understand why you weren't killed.

[Octus]

Neither do I.

[Tycha]

Neither do I. I'm gonna insight check. Erin.

[Sponsor Voice/Advertiser]

Fuck.

[Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)]

No.

[Tycha]

That's dog shit.

[Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)]

She looks at you. Fiazi had been back in Dolmakyar for less than a week before his arrest. He came from the Mournvale, taking the Stone of Nightsong from you. The stone was in Dhulmakar for less than a month.

[Octus]

Did we ever figure out why they went to get it?

[Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)]

No.

[Octus]

Did.

[Tycha]

Did Thimble know?

[Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)]

And I know that it is Julian's theory that the destruction of the Palazzo Divinos, of many of our bannermen and servants, courtiers, was simply a byproduct of their coming for you, Octus. And yet what did Primus declare by the fountain? I didn't hear it when I was upstairs. But you have said that he spoke the names of our houses aloud, yes?

[Erinessa]

Yeah. Trying to recall exactly what he said.

[Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)]

He said, tonight. Tonight the houses of poison to Venus fall.

[Octus]

Yeah. I don't know why they would have accepted this job. But did my family hire Thiazi under false pretenses to steal the stone? To have a way to obtain it that didn't lead back to them? And then they had him arrested and killed to Cover their tracks?

[Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)]

Could be.

[Tycha]

Does he seem like the type of person that would work with your family?

[Octus]

I don't know. I didn't know him that well. I knew Thimblebank.

[Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)]

But you knew him well enough to go with his sister in law to Venatus to reclaim that bumblebee.

[Octus]

I didn't know you were his sister in law until after I took a job. I was way over my head. And Tycha took the same job in order to help me. I didn't know who she was till after. It's completely coincidental that I hooked up with the azzy's sister in law.

[Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)]

Is it a coincidence that they attacked our family simply because we had taken you and you were in our home and that's why they attacked?

[Octus]

I don't know. That's what I assumed.

[Tycha]

Now, the one thing I can add is I had a very brief conversation with Otto, and he mentioned that the story from the Royce side is that House Taconis assaulted and obliterated house Divinos and House Royce. But the Taconis line is that House Royce killed one of their scions.

[Octus]

So they're pinning it on you.

[Tycha]

Here's the thing. Even if both stories were to be believed, the severity of one, no offense, Wildly outweighs the other.

[Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)]

Correct?

[Tycha]

And all that was asked of me was not an accounting of what way I was related to it. It was merely to absolve him from any of my circle's intervention in this.

[Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)]

What did he ask you? Or what did he say?

[Tycha]

He asked if I was aware that I was not being held against my will. And if the circle of ancients had any stake in the conflicts among the sundered Houses. To which I answered no. To his great relief.

[Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)]

His great relief? Yes.

[Tycha]

I think whatever is happening, he has a plan. And he wants to make sure that he will not catch any undue heat from from my people in whatever's about to happen. I think he is resolved.

[Erinessa]

He is going to keep us here.

[Octus]

Yeah.

[Erinessa]

The longer we discuss this, the longer we dally, the more he's going to shut up the defenses and make it more difficult for us to slip through in the night.

[Tycha]

Agreed.

[Erinessa]

Gather our things. Leave what you think to be the most clear declaration of our position here and what has transpired to be discovered. And we abscond with ourselves immediately.

[Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)]

I'm thinking of our men at arms and our servants, the ones imprisoned here.

[Tycha]

I think whatever plans Lorda and Fossen has for them, they were decided before you walked through these doors. Regardless.

[Erinessa]

Well, I do Care for our countrymen. You must agree in these very challenged times that your livelihood has far larger impact than theirs. They will not be slaughtered in their cages unconnected to these events. At the very least, they might be safest here on these grounds. The rest of our people are danger.

[Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)]

Go ahead and give me Julian. A either insight or history check. I'm gonna go history. That's a three. You see that? Looking out. You can see that Erinassa just shakes her head at the insinuation that she is more valuable than the people that are captured here. She looks out and says missives going in the morning. We know that something is awry to.

[Octus]

Give them the benefit of the doubt. They may only be, and I use this term loosely, siding with my family because you all are basically destroyed anyway.

[Tycha]

Blood in the water.

[Octus]

And there's no repercussions from you if they don't. And it's the most pragmatic choice to side with the person who's stronger and who is more dangerous.

[Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)]

For how long? Until Primus Taconus walks in in these doors and says, tonight the house of Einflassen falls.

[Octus]

And they learn a terrible lesson in the same one you did.

[Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)]

As you say, the same one you did. Anyone who wants to make an insight check at this moment, most definitely 24 on a 24. Octus may not have meant it in that way. But you see, Erinessa realized that her house did make the same choice. The lesson they learned. I think. Erinessa was a young woman when the Falconer's rebellion started. But she realizes that her parents made the choice to side with the Taconis and the Hailifar over the rebels that heard the falcons cry. And it's led her to this moment.

[Tycha]

Just stand beside her and without being too obvious about it, just sort of like shoulder to shoulder.

[Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)]

She looks up at you. Forward.

[Octus]

Yeah.

[Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)]

My young lord. To Konis. Lord Einfausen cares above all else for the safety and power of his house. And I would only hope that there is a fly in his ointment as he seeks to discard the sundered house of Royce, which is hopefully in that shiny fat head of his. He is thinking, why wasn't I told that there was a plan to destroy one of the great houses? And that's a question that burns in my mind and should burn in all of our minds.

[Octus]

Yeah.

[Tycha]

Say there is one. One last card to play. Taconis line is that House Royce killed their child and you're in their walls.

[Octus]

I am.

[Tycha]

I no longer care about disproving the lie for Royce credibility. I think we put a target on Einfassen's back by making it very clear that you were here too. I think there are consequences for lack of loyalty.

[Octus]

Interesting.

[Tycha]

Very interesting.

[Octus]

My only concern with exposing myself is how do I get out.

[Tycha]

If there's some way for you to simply make it known that you were here.

[Octus]

I have an idea.

[Tycha]

And sheltered by Lord Einfassen himself.

[Octus]

Okay, I have an idea. I gotta go back to my room.

[Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)]

Julian, let's prepare to leave tonight. Indeed.

[Octus]

Octys is gonna go back to his room and he's going to take some parchment and a quill and he's going to write a very polite and overly fanciful declaration of gratitude in order to allowing him to stay Octus Deconis to stay within the walls of this estate. And he is going to once again, this time, bring out the same gilded amalgamation of a skeleton, place it on the ground, weave these green circles and burning it into the carpet on the floor, these arcane sigils. And then raising out of it this really gross cat that pulls out of the sigil and just is holding it by the scruff of the neck and rolls up the note, puts it on the collar. Not the collar, but ties it to the cat and as it's sitting there, says, look. Now what I want you to do is absolutely destroy this room. And then sit and wait till someone finds you. Aught just grabs his things in his pack and then heads out the door again.

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[Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)]

Packages by Expedia you were made to occasionally take the hard route to the top of the Eiffel Tower. We were made to easily bundle your trip. Expedia made to travel flight inclusive packages are atoll protected. Incredible. What do you all do? Do you guys just gather your things and prepare to head out?

[Octus]

Sorry, I very much want to put in the note that Royce did not kill me.

[Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)]

Gotcha.

[Octus]

My family did.

[Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)]

Incredible. You leave unmistakable, verifiable, arcane evidence that you were here and that you leave in writing that in your own words, Royce did not kill you. Yes. You guys gather your things?

[Tycha]

Yeah. Before we get ready, do you want me to leave out the front door to perhaps make it easier for for you to walk out the back?

[Erinessa]

Based on the conversation that you had with the Lord, perhaps that is the most prudent. I would ask how he would ensure us ability to get together as one unit again. But you seem to have many tricks to.

[Octus]

Can you get the horses out? I can.

[Erinessa]

Erinessa. If Taconis is indeed bound to the realm of shadow that ever grows with the spirits lost. My apologies for not being as well learned in the details of the cosmology.

[Narrator/Advertiser]

But.

[Erinessa]

Does Fairy, in some way, door closed or not, keep that barrier strong than without? Would the destruction of the houses bound to Faerie perhaps give way to more strength to the realm of shadow?

[Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)]

She touches an amber pendant around her neck and firefly light begins to emerge from behind her. And you see a line of women stretching back from her in light. As she looks in the far distance, you hear words in Sylvan. Is there anyone here that speaks Sylvan?

[Octus]

I do. No, I don't. I speak Elvish shit.

[Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)]

You hear these beautiful words being spoken and Julian, you understand them. They appear all throughout the Golden Orchard, written over and over again. And it says, for what you have done, young mortal girl, to save the world of Fairy, will your children and your children's children in generations beyond counting ever know the blessings of our kind? And you see it fades. Golden Orchard was given to us as a home for our family. And if our family was gone? I do not know that it would yet stand. I do not know. When I think of Faerie, I think of our home. It is the last piece of it left at the very doorstep of this world. If me and my cousins died, maybe the last thread connecting Fairy to Ahriman would vanish.

[Erinessa]

We should be on our way. He quietly slapped and pinches his cheek to try and shake off what wine still sits in his system.

[Octus]

We are high up in this keep, correct?

[Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)]

Yeah.

[Octus]

So we can't go out the front door. And the four of us, you're allowed to leave. The four of us are not. Well, the three of you are not. I don't know. I'm here. Look out the window. Which I assume there's a window in this bedroom.

[Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)]

There is, yeah.

[Octus]

Okay. Looking out. What do I see? And do I see any. What's the guard presence outside this window?

[Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)]

Give me a perception.

[Tycha]

I cast guidance.

[Octus]

And a D4. Not bad perception. That's going to be some 18.

[Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)]

18, got it. 18, yes. There are guards patrolling the outside of the castle. There are not many. There are long sections of walls that just have street around them and the city fading away from the edge of the castle. There are gates at two of the towers. Each of those gates has two fully armored knights at them. And there are occasional patrols of two mounted knights just going up and down the road.

[Octus]

Okay.

[Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)]

There are also, I would say, in this section, it is earlyish evening, so there are still, call it some pedestrians and other people, because it's a city. There's places of revelry. And these are some beautiful villas and nicer homes near the castle. So you see there's some lights within the gardens and things like that. So there are also just some people. It's not uncommon to have people walking or carts going by on this road.

[Octus]

Great. If you want to get down quickly, I can make it so that we will not feel the impact of the fall.

[Erinessa]

Will the impact make enough noise to draw attention?

[Octus]

We will be as light as a feather.

[Erinessa]

Understood. Even this one?

[Octus]

Even this. This one.

[Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)]

Octys, what did you say in your letter?

[Octus]

I said I thanked them very much for their hospitality and for the use of the baths. And I told them that the words of my family are false and that House Royce were not the ones to kill me, but my own family.

[Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)]

Very well.

[Octus]

Signed my name and then left on an undead creature.

[Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)]

Very well. There will be some slight rudeness in our departure and that is informing the tone of the letter I'm about to write. You see that? She quickly starts grabbing something and says, tycha, are you to get the horses for us?

[Tycha]

Yes.

[Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)]

Perhaps best for you to meet us downstairs, directly below the window.

[Octus]

If you think that's the best way for us to just ride out on horseback and bust through the guards, then yes, below the window to this would be excellent.

[Tycha]

We're not doing this on the fight, are we?

[Octus]

Probably not.

[Tycha]

Okay, adventure.

[Octus]

Unless you just want to leave and let us fight it out.

[Tycha]

I would love nothing more than to leave you to die. Again.

[Erinessa]

Fight is only necessary if we fail to escape unseen.

[Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)]

Correct.

[Erinessa]

If the horses are waiting for us on the outside of the walls, perhaps at your behest.

[Octus]

Yeah.

[Erinessa]

We could have the opportunity to meet up beyond the Lordship's estate.

[Tycha]

I will have the horses waiting outside the gate. And in the event that you are not outside the gate and there are still guards there, we will deal with the guards and get you outside the gate.

[Octus]

So then, my last question is, there's two ways I can do this. We can gently float to the ground, but it will take time. Or we can fall and then catch ourselves at the last minute.

[Tycha]

How high up are we?

[Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)]

You are about first story. I'd say you're about 90ft up.

[Tycha]

Okay.

[Octus]

It will be quite a fall.

[Erinessa]

Indeed.

[Tycha]

Quick weather check. I want to cast druid craft just to get a little weather forecast for what the evening's going to look like.

[Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)]

Up at this altitude, it is just as clear. Zero percent humidity.

[Octus]

Amazing. We will be less likely to be seen if we fall quickly.

[Tycha]

Hey, I think there's some fog coming in later.

[Octus]

Ah, I see.

[Tycha]

I'll see you on the other side.

[Erinessa]

I see you.

[Tycha]

This time when we run, maybe don't make a heroic last stand.

[Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)]

And.

[Tycha]

And Beefy, are you sure you can get those horses by yourself? Trust me this one time. And if I fail you, I'll be your horse. Got it.

[Octus]

Oh.

[Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)]

Tycha. You leave Pactus. As you open the window to look down and see what the fall's gonna be like. Opening the window, looking out, preparing the spell, you hear a very surprising noise, and your vulture lands on the windowsill awaiting further instruction.

[Octus]

Did you get it? I look at the beak. Is there blood or anything on the.

[Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)]

There is blood on the beak. Good boy.

[Octus]

Good job.

[Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)]

You also see something else in the beak. Splinters. Looking at some wicker. You realize the only reason this vulture was able to catch that pigeon was that the pigeon made it to its destination. And that that destination must be much closer than Dolmachyard.

[Octus]

Interesting. Well, I guess. Good job. Interesting.

[Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)]

10.

[Octus]

The guards at the front gate.

[Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)]

Yeah.

[Octus]

Ooh.

[Erinessa]

Hold on.

[Octus]

I'm going to have the vulture stay there for a minute and I'm going to decide what I want to do with it. Okay? So you've left.

[Tycha]

Yep.

[Erinessa]

Okay.

[Octus]

Are we ready to go?

[Tycha]

I'd like to see what you can do. Jump out the window.

[Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)]

Oh, God. Erinessa goes. Oh. And you see Erinessa has just penned a letter. Julian. Looking over her shoulder, you see the letter she writes is my apologies for beating a hasty retreat. Certain Fae forces have come to our aid in our moment of need and availed themselves at the window. She then writes, returning to my full seat of power at the Golden Orchard, please pass on to my soldiers and men at arms at your imminent release of them that they are expected forthwith at the Golden Orchard.

[Tycha]

I love Gnasha. Why have I asked my H Vac.

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[Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)]

Make it quick young man. Aw.

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[Tycha]

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[Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)]

Tycha you get down as you are crossing the courtyard, the front gates are opening and a black carriage is pulling into the courtyard. That's fine, that's fine.

[Tycha]

Is it like, you know, shades of black? Like Tacon is black?

[Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)]

It is shades of black. Fuck.

[Tycha]

Oh how fun. And I'm just, just walking openly across a courtyard.

[Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)]

Sure. Oh no.

[Tycha]

Love to see it.

[Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)]

You should.

[Tycha]

I'm not hiding. I'm going to walk in the direct line and then only when I get close enough to the stable to veer.

[Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)]

Off while I turn away, you walk up, stepping from the carriage. The carriage is opened by some valets. You also see that the carriage is massive and there are alcoves almost like the alcoves of a cathedral that would have a saint's statue in them but that have empty suits of black full plate armor in them. The doors open and two enormously tall identical twin women emerge looking out. Each of them is pushing 7ft tall, weighing less than a buck 50 each. You see that their pallid flesh has a sort of metallic silvery sheen around the eyelashes. A square of lipstick just on the center portion of the bottom lip, thick mascara and eyeliner. Their hair is a sort of corpse like pallid blonde such that their hair which is slit to the head, tied up into these tall buns that sort of snake up off their head. Their hair and skin color is pretty much identical so it looks like the hair coming around tight to the head.

[Tycha]

They had to kill octys to get that like what?

[Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)]

And you see that the two sisters dressed in these beautiful black gowns have these very long arms, very gaunt, and a set of silver rings torques around their neck that appear to almost be extending their necks up tall off their shoulders. They each emerge from the carriage. And begin to walk to the central keep. They're not near you, but they're extremely striking to behold. And they begin to walk to the central keep as in the dark of night, a woman who they don't recognize is walking towards some stables.

[Tycha]

Is there any way to do even. Just a low chance was I clocked as I so very much clocked them passing by.

[Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)]

Give me a perception check. No, no, no, no. I think one of them looks in your direction but doesn't make eye contact with you.

[Octus]

Okay.

[Tycha]

You.

[Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)]

Proceed to the stable as the two of them begin to approach the central keep.

[Tycha]

I would love to be able to tell Octys that, but I didn't bring Ben.

[Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)]

Yeah. Oop. Approaching the stable. What do you do?

[Tycha]

Yeah, I'm assuming there's a stable hand here.

[Octus]

Hello.

[Tycha]

What was your name?

[Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)]

Yusufhia.

[Tycha]

Hi. I would need my horse prepared. I have to go attend my business further north.

[Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)]

Very well. I will have your horse ready at once, my lady.

[Tycha]

Thank you. Oh, hold on. I'm gonna come back with you. My companions and I think I might prefer to take one of their horses since they're planning on staying here a little longer. So I'm going to try to come up with an excuse to make my way back towards the rest of the horses.

[Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)]

Oh, yeah. You see, there's no role necessary. The stable hand is very understanding and says, yeah, very well. Your holiness, we have your horses here. Do you wish for them to be saddled and prepared for riding?

[Tycha]

That would be great. Thank you so much.

[Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)]

He gets to it and saddles up both horses that you've asked for.

[Octus]

Sweet.

[Tycha]

Other two.

[Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)]

Other two.

[Tycha]

Bless you.

[Erinessa]

Stop it.

[Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)]

Yes.

[Tycha]

I'm going to do my best to play a game of horse telephone and cast speak with animals to my two.

[Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)]

Yeah.

[Tycha]

And try to get those to convey to the other two. If I loosen their bonds, can you come find us outside of the Western gate? Can you find. Just come find your friends. If I give you an opportunity to skedaddle.

[Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)]

See the horses, hear your command and respond. Great.

[Tycha]

Then I'm going to do my best to try to futz the locks on the stalls of the other two horses. So it's just old metal, whether it's keeping it from latching properly or just wanging the wood a Little bit. I just want to see if I can sabotage the locks so the horses could break free if they really tried.

[Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)]

Either cast a spell or you can give me a sleight of hand.

[Tycha]

Let's try a sleight of hand. A skill I don't have.

[Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)]

I love it.

[Tycha]

But today's a new day, and anything can happen.

[Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)]

We believe in you.

[Tycha]

I have a plus one. Can I cast guidance on myself?

[Narrator/Advertiser]

Sure.

[Tycha]

Great. What's a D4? Okay. That's an 11 plus 13.

[Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)]

Do you need some help with that lock?

[Tycha]

No. Oh, you seem so nice. I don't want to do this. I'm gonna. I'm gonna cast hold person on him.

[Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)]

He looks at you and says, is everything all.

[Tycha]

I'm so sorry. This is not your fault. And, oh, if the rumors about him are true, I think you're gonna have a very bad day when this is over. So I wanna pull 10 gold pieces out and put them in his pocket and be like, when you snap out of this, just run. Go start a new life. Do something somewhere else. I have to do this, and it's not your fault. And I'm just gonna be like, all right, horses, new plan. Come with me now.

[Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)]

Great. You take the horses out and see him standing, staring at the wall behind where you were standing when you cast the spell. The horses come out.

[Tycha]

Old person. It's only for a minute. Should I knock him unconscious? I feel worse.

[Erinessa]

Just pull the horses quickly.

[Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)]

Great.

[Tycha]

Nah, I'm gonna elbow him in the back of the head.

[Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)]

I need more than a minute. Great. Boom.

[Tycha]

Sorry, Sorry, Sorry.

[Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)]

He paralyzed. Hits the deck hard on his shoulder. Can't brace for the fall at all.

[Octus]

Behave over him.

[Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)]

Oh, no. And five horses come out of the table with you.

[Tycha]

Yeah.

[Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)]

You approach the gate where you see there are guards. As you approach, you see one of the guards says, you, grace, pleasure.

[Tycha]

Thank you so much for your hospitality.

[Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)]

Of course. Do you require escort into the city?

[Tycha]

Oh, no. I have it from here. Thank you. And I appreciate you looking after my companions with such diligence.

[Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)]

Of course, they will be protected as long as they stay within the castle. You get out and go around the side. As you are going along a little way, you hear some shouting from the courtyard.

[Tycha]

Horses, time to run.

[Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)]

You canter up the street. And you guys from the tower look down and can see the horses beneath you.

[Tycha]

There they are. Okay, you say while falling.

[Octus]

So you have gone out the window.

[Erinessa]

Octus looks at the two of you.

[Octus]

Says, we have to go now.

[Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)]

Erinessa cannonballs out the window.

[Erinessa]

Without a moment's hesitation, full like, okay.

[Octus]

So then as Alcyst throws himself out the window afterwards and do a full dive to try and catch up as he's going through the window to the vulture, says with me and goes down and pulls a feather out of the coat that he has thrown over his shoulders. Still wearing the clothes he stole from the thing. Not wearing his, but he grabbed his coat because that's where all his components are. Has pulled a feather out and he, as he's falling, he throws it into his mouth, chews it up and then spits. One, two, three, four. Four feathers. One of them staying with him, the other three going and just pinning into you all. And as we fall, and right as we're about to hit, we go casting feather fall.

[Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)]

Hell yeah.

[Octus]

Two point landing.

[Tycha]

But it's like completely silent.

[Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)]

Erinessa as she's falling, goes and puts active effort right before the spell goes off to tuck her dress in between her knees, unbecoming, and then hits the deck. Boom. And you guys land on the horses. I'm going to need a group stealth check. Not from Tysha, but from the three of you. Disadvantage, disadvantage, disadvantage. You got it.

[Erinessa]

Natural 20.

[Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)]

Let's go. Disadvantage. Nat 1 from Erinessa.

[Tycha]

That was.

[Erinessa]

Oh, that's a.

[Octus]

Not bad, not bad.

[Erinessa]

All right, 22.

[Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)]

22 with disadvantage.

[Erinessa]

Yeah, natural 20. 16.

[Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)]

What do we got here?

[Octus]

Bayless 12, 18.

[Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)]

18. So taking the higher two rolls, the lower of them is an 18, which means that's your group stealth check is an 18. Pretty remarkable.

[Octus]

So all 15 is 17.

[Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)]

You do the exact right thing. It's a busy street, there's pedestrians. All these guards are used to being approached on foot. They're not looking back at their own walls, let alone straight up. So all that happens is a lady comes by with some horses and arranges them. And then suddenly there's a weird flash. People kind of look at like. What was that? Like something out of the corner of the eye. But all they see is some people standing on the street that are far away from any of the gate doors. So therefore not a threat. And you are all standing here in the dark with your horses. Erinnesses. Marvelous. Shall we?

[Octus]

Yes, I have the vulture lands on my shoulder and I go get inside my cloak or get inside my coat and it goes behind me on the saddle because I can't have an undead vulture on my shoulder.

[Erinessa]

Disgusting.

[Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)]

Do you have twin sisters?

[Narrator/Advertiser]

Why do you ask?

[Tycha]

Why do you think? Time to go.

[Octus]

Oh shit.

[Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)]

You guys take off a series of very important Rolls are about to happen.

[Tycha]

The way you said it made my butthole pucker.

[Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)]

Me too. Series of very important rolls are about to happen. Number one, you guys get on these horses and ride. Getting away from the castle. Is anyone taking a lead as the five of you thunder out from here? This is as far as the plan got. You were acting fast and for good reason.

[Tycha]

I'll do it.

[Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)]

Tysha, you take the lead. Where are you leading people right now?

[Tycha]

I'm just trying to get to the gate that heads out of town.

[Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)]

Okay, you are going to the first gate out of town. Go ahead, give me a history check. Difficulty 10 is the minimum for you to know this neighborhood well enough. If you can get a DC15, that's a little better. A DC20 will be flawless and will resolve the roll right there.

[Tycha]

Can I use guidance?

[Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)]

You can use guidance on yourself.

[Tycha]

Great.

[Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)]

Plus one.

[Tycha]

Oh no, I'm a plus one to history. And we made it to a 10.

[Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)]

Okay. DC 10 was the base for getting out of this neighborhood.

[Tycha]

Okay.

[Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)]

As you pull out of the neighborhood away from the castle, you do hear of that horn of warning sounding over the castle walls.

[Tycha]

Cool.

[Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)]

All right, that's time you pull out. You get to the edge of this castle area, busiest thoroughfare, going back in the direction of that massive pulley gate on that 10 history check. That pulley gate is the one that you saw going down. The only other thing you would know on a 10 is there are also a 10 is not high enough for you to have a surefire way out. The pulley gates lead up and down. They are also the most watched that go up and down the cliffside. There are other smaller thoroughfares. The smaller thoroughfares, by virtue of being smaller, will make you stick out more. Five horses going down a narrow switchback all the way down this several hundred foot tall cliff will be noticeable. The third is if you don't want to go towards these busy thoroughfares, the Beer Gartens, the other populated places. Getting away from the castle, you do see the road lined with shrines and statues leading up to Shongarten. Which would be the Druidic Power center or the Druidic Holy Grove.

[Tycha]

Oh, I like Holy Grove. But also out is so close. How far away is this big ass gate?

[Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)]

Big Ass Gate is short. It would be probably. I'll put it this way. I will make you roll one time to get to the pulley gate. But you don't necessarily know how often the Polygate is operating at night.

[Octus]

Right.

[Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)]

Is it up or down and Is it up or down? Right now, it would be two rolls to get to Shawn Garden.

[Tycha]

Heard. Before I make this decision, can I cast through my staff, speak with plants, to ask the gate if it's up or down?

[Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)]

Incredible. What is the range on speak with plants? I don't know.

[Tycha]

I got to. I was so nervous, I didn't want to keep looking. I lost the ability.

[Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)]

And I think in this moment, I think in this, it's your actual voice. Yeah, I think in this moment. You guys pull up on your horses at the first large crossroads as the castle walls fade behind these sort of alpine beer garten and residential houses. This street is all those places that. That have the second floors are larger than the first floor, overhanging. And there's also lines of laundry strung up between the buildings here that allow you to get a little bit of COVID from watchtowers on the castle walls. But this is your point of making a decision here. You can cast that if you get closer to the pulleys, but it's either go for the pulley gate, which is close and hope to get lucky, or take the riskier route to Shawn Garten and deal with whatever's there when you get there.

[Tycha]

This is awful. I know. I know. Moving towards my power base is the correct call, but the closer I bring Octis to my people, the more worried I am for him. But I need a sure bet, and they don't fuck with the Druids.

[Erinessa]

Which one is closest to Castle torch?

[Tycha]

Shawn Garden.

[Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)]

You're gonna go to Shawn Garden. You're go to the Druids.

[Tycha]

Yeah.

[Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)]

Okay. You are going to pull off. I'm going to go ahead right now, and I just want to do this for fun. I was going to make fun. It was a 16 or higher on the die for the pulley to be at the city and active. Yeah, 15. It would have just pulled out of the station, headed down if you guys had arrived.

[Tycha]

No way.

[Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)]

Maybe you could have jumped.

[Octus]

In on all the horses.

[Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)]

You got to hold on tight to your horse. Okay. There are going to be two rolls getting to shawngarden. The two rolls getting there will, I think, actually be animal handling just to get the horses there fast enough. Or you could slow way down and take stealth. It's up to you. But stealth would be more rolls.

[Tycha]

Animal handling, please.

[Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)]

Okay, I'm going to need two DC15 animal handling checks.

[Tycha]

I hate to ask. Can I use guidance?

[Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)]

You absolutely can.

[Tycha]

It's giving me roughly one extra every time. All right, all right. Oh, shit. One of Those is not great. 19 for one.

[Erinessa]

Okay.

[Tycha]

And 15 for the other.

[Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)]

Hey, the plus two.

[Narrator/Advertiser]

Health.

[Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)]

Yay. Unbelievable. Okay, so you guys see Tysha takes off into the city, moving away from the Polygates. Julian, I think you recognize that, that you're moving away from these other areas. As you do pulling away from them. You see a file of Einfausen knights taking off down the road behind you, right for the pulley gate. You head off into the city, rising up as you do. You look and see massive dolmens, carved stones. You see ancient writing written by the hands of giants in these massive standing stones. You see there are several shrines here with bits of dwarven stone tablet across them from dwarven pilgrims traveling here. And this enormous series of waterfalls collecting in pools around which are snow white blossoms from dark green vines. You see there is light purple that is cast even more indigo under the starlight and the glow of Illumi's blanket. The planetary rings you can see as the wind blows. There are mountain heather and snapdragons that small motes of glittering starlight come off in the night wind. These little bioluminescent flowers under the garden pull away. You look over and see resting overlooking this central. There's a massive flat boulder with a stone circle, calendar stones, things that map the passing of seasons. And you see there is a enormous, probably 12 foot long, mottled gray and white spotted leopard with a series of curling ram's horns coming off that is sleeping up on a ledge overlooking this place. And probably several hundred cloth pennants blowing in the night breeze. As you approach this place, you see that there is a large, beautiful wrought iron gate closed in front of it. But you see that the gate has a small brass handled door in the gate. And you can see is there anyone here that speaks either dwarven or giant? It's actually a language that's almost in a shared dialect between the two.

[Octus]

I do not.

[Tycha]

I speak giant.

[Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)]

You speak giant?

[Tycha]

Let's go.

[Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)]

In. Giant is the giant rune for sanctuary written on this little inset door within the larger gate. And it has a small. That rune appears in brass next to the doorknob.

[Tycha]

I think you knew where to go. Yeah, we slowed down. We don't have to. I think it's worse to be stomping through the streets. But I'll happily. Do you want to take it? Since you read it? This is. You do it. Then I'll dismount from my horse. I'm going to summon Hala beside me and yeah, just reach out to the brass handle and open the door.

[Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)]

This custom in sacred groves here within the mountains of Kavros, in the far west of Helvar. The gate is closed to congregants and gatherers at night as the grounds are tended to by the druids who live here in residence. But as always, a door is left unlocked for those seeking sanctuary. The sanctuary door is opened and you are able to enter this place. As you walk up the steps, you see that the leopard. And from this central grove you look and there are several staircases. One of them goes down into this beautiful mountain grotto with these hardy, scraggly little pine trees that grow horizontal out from a crag and then hook around to start growing upwards. There are several small cottages. You can see a small mess hall. And this appears to be a Druidic monastery. So there are many druids that are living here and observing their faith in this place. But as the panther growls, this leopard growls, a small candlelight comes on in a very small cottage right at that staircase of boulders going down. And you see an old dwarven man comes out. He's got his thick braided beard. It's all done up. At the bottom of his beard there's a small opening with a little twig poking out of it. The Erychinus is a birdhouse. You see that? He has a series of a shaven head, a. A series of tattoos that come down with giant and dwarven tattoos that follow these bands, almost like a badger's stripes, as he steps out and goes. Oh, welcome, welcome. Please come inside. Are you injured? Or is there any other reason that you seek sanctuary here?

[Tycha]

Thank you, cousin. We need to rest and make our way out of town.

[Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)]

Oh, yeah. Cousin, it is good to see you. I am Mozor of the Circle of Stone.

[Tycha]

Tycha of the Circle of Ancients.

[Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)]

Cousin, you are welcome here. These are your companions?

[Tycha]

Yes. I will let them speak for themselves. Hi, I'm Baelus.

[Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)]

Hi.

[Tycha]

Octis.

[Octus]

Nice to meet you.

[Erinessa]

Lady Erinessa and Ser Julian Divinos.

[Tycha]

Of.

[Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)]

The sanctuary that is offered to you here. Is your privacy a part of the sanctuary which you wish?

[Tycha]

I have had enough of secrets from for one night. I think some fellowship and open hearts will do us good. No, thank you.

[Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)]

Very well. I will tend to your horses outside the gate, but please see yourself to the bunks below, and whatever place to sleep you can find is yours.

[Tycha]

Thank you.

[Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)]

He turns and says, forgive a moment of assurance of the safety of those gathered here. You see, he. Looks out, The one here in your company. For how long have you known him?

[Tycha]

Six months. And I trust him with my life.

[Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)]

Do you trust. Trust him with his own?

[Tycha]

He, dear cousin, is part of a bigger conversation than a needs must have with my circle and many others. But perhaps not tonight.

[Octus]

My mind and conscience are my own, though.

[Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)]

Ah, This is very strange, cousin.

[Tycha]

I know we live in strange days.

[Octus]

And it is no stranger to anyone than myself.

[Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)]

I would ask then, that you see to it that your friend does not handle the sacred waters of this place. No touch of the food meant to feed our family.

[Octus]

I cannot eat anyway.

[Tycha]

Understood. I bring mystery to your door. But not trouble in the form of octis. I swear it.

[Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)]

Very well. Helps yourselves to a place to stay. And you see? He turns to go handle your horses.

[Octus]

Having stood there during this conversation, he peels open his coat and goes, you got to go. And just unsummons that vulture.

[Tycha]

How much other dead stuff do you have on you?

[Octus]

Other than the cat that I left in the castle and Pin, None.

[Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)]

Okay.

[Tycha]

Good to know.

[Octus]

But Pin is away.

[Tycha]

Remember the magic I was using in Vanadas? With the undead that we fought there? Everyone here is Azadet.

[Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)]

Yeah. Yep.

[Tycha]

Nope, I.

[Octus]

Yes, I get it. I'm going to not say anything.

[Tycha]

That's okay.

[Octus]

Hi, John.

[Tycha]

Just stay. Stay close. I've got you.

[Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)]

Okay. Friends?

[Tycha]

Yeah.

[Erinessa]

Tajo. You trust this place is safe?

[Tycha]

Yes, without a doubt.

[Octus]

Very well.

[Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)]

Erinessa looks to you, Tycha, and says we really we will be able to sleep here, knowing that we are in the same city where Octys sisters are prowling.

[Tycha]

The only conversation Lord Einfassen had with me was to make sure that my people did not meddle in his affairs. He will think twice. Even the Tacones will think twice about making this big a move. But if you want to try to leave tonight, we can do that too. I just didn't trust that the gate that we were heading towards was our best option. Out. But we don't have to sleep here.

[Erinessa]

I do not know if staying here is the best endeavor. We do not know how far they'll go to try and find you.

[Tycha]

I say I feel the same way.

[Erinessa]

If you are eager to toss verifiable lies across the other sundered houses so easily, then whatever you're tied in, we are tied into is of grave importance to them.

[Octus]

Yes, but do they want to bring this outside of the sundered houses?

[Tycha]

Yeah.

[Octus]

Are they involving all factions that exist in this world in this fight? We do not know this exactly, but I will say some of us don't need to sleep. So if we can get you all rested here, I can be on watch as I don't sleep anymore. And if trouble shows up, we can go.

[Erinessa]

My dear anessa.

[Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)]

I don't think we. You will be attacked here.

[Tycha]

This is the last place an undead Taconis would come. Sanctuary written on the gate or not.

[Erinessa]

Confidence and safety is what allowed us to be taken aback by the esteemed and legendary hospitality of the Ironhouses.

[Tycha]

Well, fair point.

[Octus]

We don't the Einfaassen actually have done anything against us yet. It might just be an abundance of caution. I'm just trying to be fair to a house who might not have done anything.

[Erinessa]

I was sleeping when I open stay near Betty.

[Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)]

Descending down this beautiful series of falling boulders to arrive at this tiny little area, alpine well, surrounded by several humble bunk houses. You see that there is a very fat grizzly bear sleeping under a pine tree. There's a number of owls in the branches. And within you see that there are long halls that have beautiful ember filled fireplaces that are keeping it piping hot. It's almost so warm that it's soporific. It makes you want to fall asleep going to these little bunkhouses. Smells like wood smoke. There are shelved beds in the walls. And you see that there are a number of druids, many of whom have dirty boots and other things like that that are sleeping here. This is the Wanderer's bunk. You see there are other larger buildings. There's a large keep beautifully made of stunning ancient mason work. That is the keep of the circle of Stones. That is the attendant circle of this holy place. But you also see that there are one or two other bunks that appear to have some trappings around them. Go ahead and give me a religion check. Actually give me nature or religion, whichever you prefer.

[Tycha]

Let's go nature. Okay, okay. Eighteen for a nature check.

[Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)]

Eighteen for nature. You see some other attendant Druidic circles that are here. There is a small banner flapping by one of the bunkhouses that represents the circle of seasons, which is a circle that works very closely, hand in hand with the circle of ancients in terms of healing barrowdells and trying to heal the world. Across the grotto, not at one of the bunk houses, you do see a small half shield constructed of wood and bone that bears three bloody stripes on it that you recognize as being one of many symbols of the circle of the Hunt, which is a circle that I think you've heard of as being one of a handful of Very powerful global orders of Druids. And this is one that you heard of a couple years ago as being like, oh, there are some Druids of the Circle of the Hunt. That was something about when Alagar was joining the Barrow Guard, there were some Druids from the Circle of the Hunt that were interested in helping that endeavor. You've heard of them more recently, being extremely opposed to an envoy of Druids headed towards a place called the Totality in Hargood. That they are a. From everything you've heard, a very grave and fearsome Circle of Druids.

[Tycha]

Amazing. Do I see any banners of. Do I see anything from the Circle of Ancients present here?

[Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)]

There is a symbol of the Circle of Ancients in the center tree, in this little circle of buildings, this grotto, that is hanging in a place of honor and prominence. But there do not appear to be any Druids of Ancients in attendance here.

[Tycha]

Okay, then. I think I'm going to go over to the tree and whatever branches are closest to it, I want to jury craft just a little more vibrancy around it. Not to throw more focus or honor out of it, but just to be very clear that there is a member of the Circle of Ancients present here now.

[Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)]

Awesome. Okay.

[Tycha]

I can go and have some conversations and see if I can secure us stealthier egress from the city.

[Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)]

Okay.

[Octus]

We'll find a place to be gathered together. Should stay relatively close to each other.

[Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)]

Agreed.

[Tycha]

Can I get you anything? You're looking a little pale.

[Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)]

I'm fine.

[Tycha]

Mm. And I walk away.

[Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)]

Tysha. You walk away. Erin. S. Looks over at you, Julian. Gotta be a good baby daddy. Let's try to get some rest. I suppose. Thought I was gonna get to sleep in a big, beautiful bed.

[Erinessa]

You and me as well. It was a terrible thing to have pulled away.

[Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)]

At least we got a bath.

[Octus]

I'm hoping those weren't my sisters.

[Erinessa]

You've got the family there, Octus.

[Narrator/Advertiser]

Do you.

[Erinessa]

Show you the black sheep on this, or do you carry some of this thread of darkness within you beyond just this soft, sweet boy Persona you put on for all of us?

[Octus]

Look, an apple never falls that far from my tree. I just. If they're here, that means they were already somewhere close to the city. Because the bird that the handmaiden got out, my vulture did catch, but it caught where it roosted. Which means the note that she sent got to wherever it was going.

[Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)]

It was close.

[Octus]

And it was close.

[Erinessa]

Very well. So they know that we are here or whatever.

[Octus]

That note said they know.

[Erinessa]

Have to assume they've been notified of.

[Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)]

Right.

[Octus]

But they didn't know I was there.

[Tycha]

Well, they will now.

[Octus]

Yes.

[Tycha]

Is there anything we need to know about your sisters? Are they looking to kill you again as well?

[Octus]

I don't know if they know I'm alive or what they know. Look, they're my oldest. If it is my sisters Petra and Raya, they're the oldest. Probably dealt with them the least out of how much siblings as they were already on doing important work when I was born.

[Tycha]

What was this surprising?

[Octus]

No one. They're not kind.

[Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)]

What.

[Tycha]

What is this important work that your family does that you keep talking about?

[Octus]

I just mean the daily duties of a noble family.

[Erinessa]

I think our families have different duties. But nevertheless could be wary of your sisters and wary of any taconess.

[Octus]

But they. I don't know what they did exactly. I wasn't no one. I was not privy to a lot of information that flowed through my house. I was apparently disposable enough that they decided to kill me when I didn't show any worth there.

[Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)]

They.

[Erinessa]

There is a non zero chance that they come upon us some point, if not tonight, on our way out. What can you tell us about your sisters that we should be wary of? Anything in particular that we can use to try and be safe? Or at least I literally just asked him that.

[Tycha]

See if we could gather any information on these people.

[Octus]

Look, this.

[Tycha]

Julian, here's the thing. How much do you have to drink? This is why I don't drink. Because we always have to be ready.

[Octus]

Look, it's all you know that my family are sorcerers of undeath. You've seen what my father can do. Petra and Raya are his first children. So by going on a scale of me to my sisters, they're the most powerful probably of my siblings.

[Erinessa]

And yet when you ask a second time while drunk, you get more information. How strange.

[Tycha]

This is true. This is more information than you gave me. So thank you for double vugavan.

[Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)]

Erinassa.

[Octus]

Trying to quantify my family. To all of you.

[Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)]

Erinnessa looks and says, octis, you don't have to tell us if there's a secret hole in your sister's back that if we shoot an arrow into it, it will.

[Octus]

If there was a secret hole.

[Tycha]

I would like to know if there is a secret hole in your sister.

[Octus]

I don't know. I think I saw them maybe 10 times. 10 times my entire life. I don't know them. But they'll know me.

[Tycha]

They're about 100 pounds soaking wet.

[Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)]

So your family? Okay. You see, Ernest Lustine says that's a recent development. When I was a little girl, I remember when the Taconis referred to themselves as keepers of the passage of life into death. And now they openly refer to themselves as masters of the undead.

[Tycha]

I appreciate the honesty. They sound delightful.

[Octus]

Well, there's a reason I left home.

[Tycha]

When I was 15, bear.

[Octus]

But they did have an important job.

[Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)]

At one point in time you hear a noise outside saying.

[Tycha]

Cousin, oh, sorry, I had a thing to do. Apologies.

[Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)]

You see that mozor is out there with his hands crossed behind his back saying, yes, cousin, would you come to speak with two of our brethren? If you'd be so kind.

[Octus]

Of course.

[Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)]

Walking back up to the sacred grove, you see that there is an enormous Bearfolk woman. She's about 8ft tall. She has this beautiful flowery gown. She's old. You see that? She has lots of gray long hairs and her bear like eyebrows. So she's physically imposing. Massive. And she's sat on her haunches in that bare sit on the ground. Mostly you just get a sense to lower herself to be a little bit easier to talk to. And there is another druid that it's hard to see what he is. He has this wild helm mass that's got a bird's elder, long predatory beak feathers, wood things, tied strands of hair that come off of it. Looks like this weird rainbow scavenger barbarian. Got claw extensions coming from wrists, lots of nuts and beads and various tied things. He is like some in Ahriman. It's not typical for druids to dress like that because after the fall of the gods, communities depended on druids to give some connection to the power of what is sacred in our world. And it's not that that doesn't mean destiny yourself with wilderness. It just means being this unapproachable is unusual for a druid being this sort of imposing. But you see these two figures there, the that Mozar walks up with?

[Tycha]

I think as I walk towards them. Then especially seeing the non bear folk, I've been using my sweet little cane to walk. I'm like, okay, we're all big druids here and I'm going to tap it on the ground once and grow the wood inside it and turn it from that horse head to the massive dragon's head that's now just pouring out sort of forge colored magic. Cool. We're all big kids here. A walk up, perfectly pleasant.

[Octus]

Cousins.

[Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)]

Cousin, you see that? The old bear Folk woman says, welcome, cousin. It's nice to have you. Hi, I am Amadal Toadstool. And. You see that she turns over and says, welcome to Shungaten. We are sorry to pull you from what has presumably been a hard day.

[Tycha]

Not at all.

[Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)]

We have rather a hard conversation to have. You see that the other druid takes his bird like helm off. And what you thought you realize as he takes it off was part of his Druidic armor is actually that half of his ribs are living wood. And you see some organs exposed under what is a partially wooden rib cage that. That reaches up. You can see his trachea and esophagus through a single tendon as some injury has warped that away. And a wild eyed elven man looks at you and says, you've brought something that needs to die into this camp. And that's all for this episode Critical Role.

[Erinessa]

No.

[Tycha]

We can go for like 14 more hours. Just like, just like 20 more minutes.

[Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)]

Come on.

[Octus]

Somebody's gotta not wanna kill me.

[Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)]

Someone's gonna not wanna kill me someday. You're like when, you know, like when everyone decides you should die in catan and then you somehow survive and then you just die on the next burn. People don't like it when you don't die. They're like, no, man, we got you out. Okay.

[Octus]

Oh, my God.

[Tycha]

Come on.

[Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)]

This is so good.

[Tycha]

Every new druid is cooler than the last druid. This is so dope.

[Octus]

We love it.

[Tycha]

Oh, my God.

[Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)]

Oh, no.

[Octus]

My sisters are so scary.

[Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)]

Sisters are scary. Druids are scary. It's all scary. The only question I have is, is it Thursday yet? Thanks for listening to this episode of Critical Role. If you're enjoying this story, consider leaving a review on your podcast platform of choice. We're always looking for new critical to share our adventures with, and your review may help a new batch of wayward souls find their way to Ahriman, Exandria and beyond. Or if you want to hear what the cast discussed after the episode, head to Beacon TV and check out our exclusive show Critical Role Cooldown. You'll be right there at the table immediately after we say, is it Thursday yet? And experience our cast's post show reactions. We'll see you next time.

[Tycha]

Why have I asked my h vac.

[Sponsor Voice/Advertiser]

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[Dungeon Master (Matthew Mercer)]

Make it quick, young man.

[Tycha]

Aw, see, Pop? Pop trusts you.

[Narrator/Advertiser]

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