The Elder Scrolls Online One-Shot

Summary

Summary of "The Elder Scrolls Online One-Shot" – Critical Role Podcast Episode

Podcast Information:

• Title: Critical Role
• Host/Author: Critical Role
• Episode: The Elder Scrolls Online One-Shot
• Release Date: May 6, 2025
• Description: Dive into a special adventure where a group of talented voice actors explores the rich universe of Elder Scrolls Online through a collaborative tabletop roleplaying game.

---

Introduction

In celebration of the 10th anniversary of Elder Scrolls Online (ESO), Critical Role collaborates with Bethesda Softworks and ZeniMax Online Studios to present a unique one-shot adventure. Host Matthew Mercer emphasizes that while inspired by ESO’s expansive lore, the story remains an original creation, offering fans a fresh yet familiar experience.

---

Plot Overview

Set in the tumultuous Second Era of Tamriel during the Three Banners War, the adventurers are seasoned magicians affiliated with the Mage Guild. Their mission: to retrieve the elusive artifact known as Mora's Veil. However, their quest takes a perilous turn when they are ambushed and captured by Daedric forces, plunging them into a series of harrowing challenges across various regions of Tamriel.

---

Key Sections

1. Ambush and Capture [00:04:53 – 00:15:07]

While venturing through the rugged terrains of Tamriel in search of Mora's Veil, the party is suddenly ambushed by unknown assailants. They awaken in a dark, oppressive chamber adorned with Daedric symbols, bound in iron chains, and held upside down. The centerpiece is Mora's Veil, a brass cylinder intricately designed, seemingly holding mystical significance.

Notable Quote:

• Matthew Mercer: “Only the best will do for Mom.” [00:00:00]

2. Struggle for Freedom [00:15:07 – 00:30:21]

Utilizing their diverse magical abilities, the adventurers engage in a desperate battle against their captors. Characters like Amiri (Ashley Johnson) demonstrate fierce combat prowess, while Priscine (Laura Bailey) employs protective spells. The group's coordinated efforts lead to their escape from the chamber, but not without significant challenges.

Notable Quote:

• Laura Bailey: “It's more than just a house. It's your home.” [00:32:03]

3. Journey Through Vvardenfell and Morrowind [00:30:21 – 00:56:10]

Escaping the initial ambush, the party finds themselves in Vvardenfell, navigating through its unique landscapes and encountering formidable foes such as werewolves and vampires influenced by Daedric magic. Their journey is marked by intense combat sequences and strategic use of their spells to overcome obstacles.

Notable Quote:

• Matthew Mercer: “Trust Amica Home Insurance... US Cellular Prepaid offers great nationwide 5G coverage...” [00:24:17] (Note: This segment appears to be an advertisement and can be skipped in the summary.)

4. Confrontation with Daedric Entities [00:56:10 – 01:30:00]

The adventurers delve deeper into Tamriel's mysteries, facing off against Daedric entities like Bloodletter Schwarazia and Zivaron. Each confrontation tests their limits, both physically and magically. The party's resilience and teamwork shine as they employ a mix of offensive and defensive spells to survive these deadly encounters.

Notable Quote:

• Taliesin Jaffe: “We are not the weakest fucks ever.” [01:00:12]

5. Securing the Grimorix Nimular [01:30:00 – 02:34:00]

The climax of the adventure centers around the Grimorix Nimular, an ancient Daedric artifact of profound power. With the aid of Quill, a mystical watcher entity, the party engages in a final, epic battle to secure the artifact. Amidst shifting realities and escalating dangers, they succeed in obtaining Grimorix Nimular, restoring balance to the Mage Guild’s endeavors.

Notable Quote:

• Matthew Mercer: “Thank you for playing your part... Is there anything you seek?” [01:30:00]

---

Character Highlights

• Niskan (Sam Riegel): The group's strategic leader, adept in arcane rituals and combat.
• Amiri (Ashley Johnson): A relentless warrior with unmatched strength and combat skills.
• Priscine (Laura Bailey): A compassionate mage specializing in healing and protective magic.
• Talidor (Taliesin Jaffe): An archaeologist with a keen eye for magical artifacts and ancient lore.
• Liam (Liam O'Brien): A versatile sorcerer with a penchant for lightning-based spells.

---

Conclusion

As the adventure concludes, the adventurers reflect on their harrowing journey through Tamriel. They successfully secure Mora's Veil and the Grimorix Nimular, ensuring the Mage Guild's continued influence and protection over magical artifacts. The episode wraps up with heartfelt thanks to Bethesda and a nod to fans, inviting them to explore ESO through the provided Content Pass.

Notable Quote:

• Matthew Mercer: “Thank you for joining us on this adventure... Until next time. Is it Thursday yet?” [Summary Conclusion]

---

Final Notes

• Advertisements Skipped: The summary omits promotional segments for Whole Foods Market, Amica Insurance, and other non-essential advertisements interspersed in the transcript.
• Engagement Tip: Interested listeners are encouraged to subscribe to Critical Role's Beacons TV for exclusive content and further adventures.

---

Summary: "The Elder Scrolls Online One-Shot" episode offers an electrifying blend of Elder Scrolls lore and dynamic D&D gameplay. Through strategic combat, magical prowess, and unwavering teamwork, the adventurers navigate the perilous landscapes of Tamriel, overcoming Daedric forces to secure powerful artifacts. This one-shot encapsulates the essence of Critical Role’s storytelling excellence, providing both fans and newcomers with an immersive and unforgettable roleplaying experience.

Transcript

[Ashley Johnson]

Only the best will do for Mom.

[Matthew Mercer]

So make Whole Foods Market your Mother's Day destination. Shop the floral department for vibrant blooms.

[Ashley Johnson]

Like tulips, orchids, peonies and expert crafted bouquets.

[Matthew Mercer]

Then head to the wellness and beauty department and give Mom a spa like experience with scented candles and more. And if you're hosting brunch or dinner.

[Ashley Johnson]

Order flavorful Whole Foods market catering by May 9.

[Matthew Mercer]

Celebrate Mother's Day with Whole Foods Market.

[Ashley Johnson]

In store and online at Ameca Insurance.

[Laura Bailey]

We know it's more than just a house. It's your home. The place that's filled with memories. The early days of figuring it out.

[Matthew Mercer]

To the later years of still figuring it out.

[Laura Bailey]

For the place you've put down roots.

[Matthew Mercer]

Trust Amica Home Insurance Amica Empathy is our best policy. Sometimes you have to choose between a great deal or a great experience. Other prepaid providers stick you with slow networks and price hikes, but with US Cellular Prepaid, getting a great deal doesn't mean sacrificing a great experience. US Cellular Prepaid offers great nationwide 5G coverage without any gimmicks or hidden fees. And now you can get a free Samsung Galaxy A16.5G to make a great experience. Even better, stay connected without making sacrifices. Terms apply. Visit uscellular.com for details.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

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

[Matthew Mercer]

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

[Taliesin Jaffe]

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

[Matthew Mercer]

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

[Taliesin Jaffe]

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

[Matthew Mercer]

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

[Taliesin Jaffe]

New episodes release every Tuesday.

[Matthew Mercer]

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

[Liam O'Brien]

Foreign.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

Hello Bees. This is Laura Bailey here to welcome you to the Critical Role Podcast. If you'd like to tune into the show as it airs, you can watch Critical Role Thursdays at 7pm Pacific on Twitch TV, criticalrole and YouTube.com criticalrole Our lovely Twitch subscribers can view the episode on demand right away, or you can find it on YouTube Mondays at 12pm Pacific. And of course, for all you fantastic podcast listeners, Critical Role episodes hit feeds on Thursday mornings a week after the episode first airs. With all that said, let's get into another episode of Critical Role.

[Matthew Mercer]

Hello and welcome to a very special one shot in collaboration with our friends at Bethesda Softworks and ZeniMax Online Studios in honor of the 10th anniversary of Elder Scrolls Online. First off, I have to mention that while you may recognize some of the locations and characters in tonight's adventure, we want to emphasize that this is a tale of our own creation. It's not official canon content from eso. It's all higgledy piggledy. Anyway, consider it a love letter inspired by the decades of content set in the ESO universe. There's so much of it. Thank thank you again to Bethesda Softworks and ZeniMax Online Studios for letting us play in your world and grab the 2025 Content Pass to start your own ESO adventure today. Check out www.elderscrollsonline.comen-join us for more information.

[Laura Bailey]

There you go. Got it.

[Matthew Mercer]

Now, without further ado, we are about to play a game of Dungeons and Dragons set in the world of Tamriel. We're probably gonna be flavoring some of our spells to be Elder Scrolls Z, but we're gonna be using straight up Dungeons and Dragons rules. We're gonna have fun. I want to introduce everyone at the table. Should I introduce you?

[Marisha Ray]

Should you introduce yourself?

[Sam Riegel]

I'm not gonna do it. You should do it.

[Matthew Mercer]

You should do it.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

Hi, I'm Laura Bailey. I'm here tonight to play a game. Are we supposed to introduce our character?

[Matthew Mercer]

Nah. Okay.

[Liam O'Brien]

Hi. I'm not Laura Bailey. I'm Evan Michael Lee. It's like A Tribe Called Quest. Please say the whole thing.

[Matthew Mercer]

Oh, wow.

[Liam O'Brien]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Laura Bailey]

I'M Matthew Mercer. That's all I got.

[Sam Riegel]

I'm Luis Carrazo.

[Ashley Johnson]

Oh, okay.

[Matthew Mercer]

Yeah, yeah.

[Ashley Johnson]

Is that my.

[Liam O'Brien]

Bring it home.

[Matthew Mercer]

That's where I live. That's my family.

[Liam O'Brien]

That's you.

[Ashley Johnson]

Hi. Hello. I'm Jasmine Buular, also known as that Bronze girl.

[Matthew Mercer]

Guys, this is why we got into the creative arts. The hide behind make believe people. So let's get into it. Let's get into Tamriel and see what the hell is gonna happen here. I am excited. Thank you for joining me here in Nir. The chapters of this world of Nirn are long and lingering. It is only of the recent ages that anything definitive can be known. But that doesn't stop scholars from pondering the great tapestry of the Mundis, the weave of existence. From out of the mystery of nothingness sprang unless Anu and Padomay, order and chaos, life and light, entropy and darkness. From that earliest miasma of contradiction sprang the foremost of divinity's great Akatosh, the dragon God of time, as well as Lorkhan, who gave his eternal life to ensure the creation of the very fabric of reality that mortals are familiar with today. Today. Mm. Many divines there were many helped to shepherd our world, while others instead did spurn it.

[Liam O'Brien]

Halliday presents, in the red corner, the undisputed, undefeated Weed Whacker guy, champion of hurling grass and pollen everywhere.

[Laura Bailey]

And in the blue corner, the challenger, Extra Strength Hannity.

[Liam O'Brien]

Eyedrops at work all day to prevent the rain release of histamines that cause itchy allergy eyes. And the winner by knockout is Pataday Hataday.

[Matthew Mercer]

Bring it on.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

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

[Matthew Mercer]

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

[Taliesin Jaffe]

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

[Matthew Mercer]

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

[Taliesin Jaffe]

You can also find fellow weirdos by following the Series I on our heirdkids pod Instagram and using the hashtag weirdkids.

[Matthew Mercer]

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

[Taliesin Jaffe]

New episodes release every Tuesday.

[Matthew Mercer]

Some of the great Daedric princes chose the chaos of oblivion beyond the edges of this mortal coil and through forgotten eras, unto this very day, the Aedra shower their benevolence upon us while the Daedra ever cast their shadows. While we children of Nirn, in all the lands of Tamriel and beyond, live out our lives in the current of this ceaseless churning river, Building our history one stone at a time, through the ages. This is one such an age. The second Age, to be precise. Welcome inquisitive minds to Tamriel in the year 582. It is a moment in history of great uncertainty. Invasions from distant shores and the central Imperial government's fall into chaos has plunged these lands into war, Ushering in the rise of three great alliances. The Daggerfell Covenant to the west, the Aldmeri Dominion to the south, and the Ebonheart Pact of the lands to the north and east. All ringed about the imperial heart of Tamriel like a crown waging war against a broken throne and each other. This is the Three Banners War. And yet, despite the clash of kingdoms in Tamriel, the Et'ada, those great spirits above and below, still chase their private ends. So too do many a mortal, spreading their way through the chaos of the age, Having no taste for the squabbling of nation states. And thus, with my Nirnian preamble out of the way, we come to U5. A battle for the throne consumes this land. But many have no appetite for that sort of power. Some are more interested in esoterica. Individual ambition, knowledge. Which is why this quartet of arcane practitioners and their deadly Nightblade colleague fit in so well amongst the ranks of the Mages Guild scattered across Tamriel. Guild members manage to remain mostly neutral in this conflict, Providing services to the people while furthering the guilds and your own search for greater understanding of the magic that this world breathes. You built up quite a reputation for yourselves as well. The Guild knows that when something needs to be acquired, you five will acquire it, Risk and peril be damned. And that is why, a week ago, High Mage Velast, the Mage Guild's Master of Incunabula herself, takes with retrieving an artifact thought to perhaps only be a myth. The last scribes found new mention of Mora's Veil. Ooh. Ah. Few even know of it. Mora's Veil is a mystery, a rumor. An artifact believed to point the way to an even deeper mystery. The Grimorix Nimular. An ancient grimoire of deep esoteric significance. One of the black books of the Daedric Prince of hidden knowledge and memory. Hermaeus Mora writ with the secrets of Apocrypha, a tome that many would kill for. Or worse. Good news is you did it in the mountains that divide the Cyrodiil Empire mountains between the Empire and Morrowind. You plumbed the depths of accursed ruin. And there, as the scribes indeed had conjectured. See, Mom? This strange object lay in slumber there, forgotten to time. And now you are quite certain you have have Mora's veil or. Or. Or you had it shit. The bad news is you got fucking ambushed on the way out. And now you're here, totally fucked, bound in dark iron chains, suspended upside down, your belongings and of course the artifact laid splayed out before you, out of reach and you potentially out of hope. Welcome to the Elder Scrolls. Hey. Clap.

[Laura Bailey]

Burn chains.

[Matthew Mercer]

All of you slowly awaken, painfully wincing upside down in a chamber of rough. It is dim somewhere between torture chamber and bizarre laboratory where you hang like sides of meat. Right now there's low light from a few torches flickering on the walls. Chains and manacles hang about the chamber in various places. There are rough cluttered tables of parchment, metal and glass instruments, flames, a furry severed arm on one, one large bit of hide or skin stretched out with a ma of runic scrawl. The five of you hang in a wide semicircle, once again upside down, iron chains creaking, your hands clamped painfully behind you, somehow quite dizzy from the rush of blood to the head. At a certain point you realize you are hanging over a painted circle of some sort on the stone below in runic script. There's a shifting in the chamber and you realize someone else is here, craning your necks. You see a shirtless, blue hued, ropey, lean horned figure, Daedric, with a long bright black braid sectioned off down his back. He sits with his back to you and the artifact that you had pulled from that ruin. Mora's veil. What looks like a brass cylinder wrought in intricate metal, almost like a Moroccan lamp with latticework all about it. A perfect shape, a perfect cylinder, no hinges, no latches, nothing rests on two iron forks holding it in place on a table in front of this mysterious daedric figure. A door opens a few moments later, past this figure studying the stolen artifact and another, blue hued, shirtless, somewhat more swole this time, character with an oni floof of Black hair enters and bears a striking resemblance to the first. Like they could be related. The only real difference you can see is one is a little leaner than the other with their hair held back and the other one is a little more unkempt and we'll say chattier. The figure walks past the other towards the five of you hanging in the room and walks straight up to you and just gives you a little push and watches her long way from the library in Mournhold. Bookworm?

[Laura Bailey]

Yes, a bit, yeah.

[Matthew Mercer]

Why don't you tell us at the table what we see swinging back and.

[Laura Bailey]

Forth as he sways back and forth upside down. The gray silvered hair long, stretching and falling partway in front of his dunmer dark elf face. His piercing red eyes wide with a combination of genuine curiosity as well as a hint of fear and confusion. You see a somewhat portly strong looking Dunmer, a well kept silvered beard around his chin, bright red eyes and it's probably quite sweaty at this point. The blood is rushing to his head and his eyes are starting to get a little puffy.

[Matthew Mercer]

Gives you another little push and just watches Naraviks.

[Marisha Ray]

You're getting ahead of yourself.

[Matthew Mercer]

I need them fresh. The one at the table speaks up.

[Marisha Ray]

Oh, I'm not going to kill them.

[Matthew Mercer]

Not yet, but a little bleeding is fine.

[Marisha Ray]

We're going into Blackreach. I don't want any mistakes. Leave them for now.

[Matthew Mercer]

Oh it's all right. We're just talking. And he turns to you. Aerox. Isn't that right friend? Grabs you by the scruff of your neck and he's pretty beefy. Lifts you a little bit so your face is at least sideways to his. Need anything get you a pillow?

[Liam O'Brien]

Yes, A tighter grip.

[Matthew Mercer]

Evan, why don't you tell us what we at the table see held by this daedric figure? Oh.

[Liam O'Brien]

You see sort of a. A dark cloak and hood hanging over his head and the tail of a deep dark lizard swinging in front of him and just below his chest hair. I notice there's something hanging around his.

[Matthew Mercer]

Neck but I can't quite make it.

[Liam O'Brien]

Out because the blood is rushing to my head and my vision is fazey. But I think this could be something that could get us out of here. But I'm not sure right now on.

[Matthew Mercer]

This individual perhaps sees your Argonian scaled face growing darker from the strain of it. Lets you go and lets you swing. Sees of Aram. They love me. Zivaron, the leaner of these two figures is not paying his friend any mind and is spinning his hand in a ring in front of this object and a little circle of arcane motes appear. He just stares down the length of the artifact, registers something and then wipes that away.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

Did we understand what those artifact, those runes were? Could we tell?

[Matthew Mercer]

Making a roll for Arcana Prasim.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

13.

[Matthew Mercer]

Super easy for you. You're very well practiced in the arcane arts. He is trying to understand the nature of this thing in front of him. He's trying to figure it out. Big boy wanders over to you, Talidor. But you and I, we really are friends. Aren't we Talidor? His face in that moment ripples and changes entirely to a thin pale shave headed Breton figure that you recognize as one of Valast's scribes who you have spent weeks, months with conversing in the libraries back in Mournhold. So many conversations in the sacks. Huh?

[Liam O'Brien]

Huh?

[Sam Riegel]

Up to that point Talidor, who's a Breton, his dark hair and tan skin. And he wears these robes that are very trenchcoat like black robes with gold trim. And his mahogany eyes have scarlet flecks and they've been focused on the writing underneath us. I think at this point I've gathered that this. This ritual is meant to use our blood for something. I am now trying to assess if I can, if I recognize any of the runes and if I can tell how long it would take for this incantation to take. But it's absolutely interrupted with this encounter. My eyes go right up to his and I see him turn into someone familiar to me.

[Matthew Mercer]

Huh?

[Sam Riegel]

Has it always been you? Or did you take him from me and take his form?

[Matthew Mercer]

Those features ripple away and you see again this leering blue face again. And his hand lands on your cheek. He just palms your head and swings you back and forth. Have you?

[Sam Riegel]

I maintain as much eye contact with him as I swing.

[Matthew Mercer]

He has moved on. The figure at center was called Zyveron. Have you the toxin ready? Envenomed by the will of our Lord himself and ready to go. He walks over and he pulls out of. Both of. These guys are wearing ragged red kilts almost, but made of many different strips of material. And he reaches somewhere in there and pulls out a glass vial that has a swirl of golden green liquid that gyrates and mixes within. And walks over to the table that Z'aron is working at. And he sets it on that table next to him. I still find it amusing. A vampire after a poison that can end a vampire. These mud dwellers are fools. Even after death.

[Marisha Ray]

It's no concern of ours.

[Matthew Mercer]

Zivaron again is moving his hands through the air and placing runes in different positions in front of Mora's veil, and then wipes his hands away and pulls back a little bit in surprise. From that the thing starts to pulse and glow through all those holes in the latticework. Green light starts to radiate gently out of it and he looks consternated and confused. Why are you bothering with that now? Going to be late.

[Marisha Ray]

You just want to get to your fun with this lot.

[Matthew Mercer]

Give me a minute, I almost have it.

[Marisha Ray]

I think we can fetch you a pet soon enough.

[Matthew Mercer]

Big guy looks bored and wanders over to you, Priscine. I almost feel sorry for this one. He runs fingers into your blonde hair.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

Oh no.

[Matthew Mercer]

Lifts it and lets it fall. Dainty little wisp of a thing. I'm sure you're wishing you stuck to the dappled streets of Summerset, didn't you?

[Taliesin Jaffe]

Actually this is quite fun considering where I started.

[Matthew Mercer]

Where did you start, little elf girl?

[Taliesin Jaffe]

Where most do in home. You know I've tried that incantation already on the scroll in the veil. It isn't. It doesn't work.

[Matthew Mercer]

You can see a vain throb on the side of that figure's face over at the item ignores you. Can you give us at the table a little bit of a picture?

[Taliesin Jaffe]

Oh, sure. I am a very slight Elven Altmer and she has slightly golden skin and very very pale long blonde hair that's probably hitting the ground as she's upside down. Cream robes with little bits of gold trim and sage green on it.

[Matthew Mercer]

Zivaron in the middle, continues his study. Big guy wanders over in this direction.

[Ashley Johnson]

Drop a sweat, but I don't know.

[Matthew Mercer]

Fuck all about you clown. Your friends here don't bring you around the Guild much in Mournhold Fradel. Embarrass them.

[Ashley Johnson]

No, I'm. I'm a blade for hire and I can. I mean I'm willing to deal. And you see a very lithe panther. Her eyes are big pools of amber that you want to fall into. They reek of honey. And she playfully runs her long panther tail up the chains and says they just pay me. I come here, let's talk.

[Matthew Mercer]

Let's have a chat.

[Laura Bailey]

At hearing this immediately Nishkan goes like so quick to double cross us.

[Matthew Mercer]

Shut up, Nishkan.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

Come, come.

[Ashley Johnson]

And if he steps over sure he'll.

[Matthew Mercer]

Get a little closer.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

He does.

[Ashley Johnson]

I look over his shoulder and I cast knock on Pristine's the manacles on her hands.

[Matthew Mercer]

There is a metallic g Sound and prisine begins to swing back and forth from the shock of it. And you see as she awkwardly spins around, the hands are in a piece of metal fragment that is welded shut.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

Noble try, though.

[Matthew Mercer]

Give the table a little description of your apparel. I think is important.

[Ashley Johnson]

Yeah. Seeing that it didn't work. You hear a jingle of several bells as Emiri kind of does a little 320, 360, rather kind of struggling against her own bonds. And you see the flaps of her jester garb are flopping upside down, kind of batting at her face a little bit. And as she blows them out, you also notice her little feet are in curved boots that also have bells on the tip. She doesn't wear the hat, though she has some pride. It's navy blue and gray. It's very demure, very classy, very sleep somber outfit.

[Matthew Mercer]

Somber bells.

[Ashley Johnson]

Somber bells. Like grave bells.

[Laura Bailey]

Yeah.

[Matthew Mercer]

He gives you a very big toothy grin, right? One inch from your face.

[Ashley Johnson]

Please don't kill me. I'm so sorry.

[Matthew Mercer]

Very intimidating. I wouldn't want to run into you in an alley. And he flicks one of the bells hanging off of your shoulder.

[Laura Bailey]

Ah, I see. Right.

[Liam O'Brien]

Causes my scales to ripple. The sound of the bell.

[Matthew Mercer]

Naravix. Leave it. Just fucking leave it. He rubs his hands together, this ropier of the pair. He looks over at you, not a half bad idea. And he flicks his fingers in three very distinct motions that you recognize that you have done similarly yourself. And you hear the artifact go, like he's hit a gong. And the artifact, this cylinder of metal, begins to glow brighter and hotter. He pulls back from it. And there is a sudden warbling sound inside of your head. The bright the brass cylinder expands, grows all the individual holes, growing larger as it expands. And then it opens like a flower. As the noise becomes deafening inside your mind, you see what looks like a squid slide out of the cylinder, all its little tentacles glued together. And it opens. Blossoms like a flower. And you hear voices, whispers in your mind.

[Marisha Ray]

I so sad I didn't.

[Matthew Mercer]

And the two blue figures reel back. Your head is a maelstrom of sound. And it becomes words. It becomes clear. And you hear a voice say, he.

[Marisha Ray]

Who knows has seen this day. As with every day to come and every day now past, you too will not disturb the tides of fate, nor find your purchase in this realm.

[Matthew Mercer]

The room goes green in your vision. You see two worlds at once, overlapping the chamber around you. But a green and black wasteland. You feel your body pushed through space, 4 or 5ft floating in the air. You can still see in the chamber which is hued green, all of your belongings and items, your book rising up into the air, the vial of potion, the artifact itself, metal instruments, these two daedras, daedric individual's hair rising into the air. And suddenly everything implodes, compacts and you feel yourself moving through space, twisting and are spit out in an entirely new location. You suddenly find yourself tripping forward in the light of day, disoriented, processing a sudden and dramatic change in hand still bound, those chains were gone. You were pushed through space away and then briefly pulled back into reality and then shunted to a new one. You are now in the open air. You're breathing barely enough time to catch yourself from stumbling over the edge of a very high vantage point, looking out over the top of a wide and eerily beautiful fungal forest. You're perched on a massive ruddy mushroom cap, perhaps not the tallest of the looming sentinels of this place, but damn near it. The sun is slightly muted here and there is a thin but noticeable drift of ash sprinkling in the air, the source of which is plain to see in the far distance filling the sky beyond this eerily beautiful forest of fungi, a volcano broods, a column of smoke rising from the sky, and just the barest glimpse of lava flow trickling down one edge. You may not know your existence exact location, but this can be no other place than Vvardenfell, the island that sits within the center of Morrowind's inner sea. A few oversized beetles, their shells crested over in tendrils of cordycepian stalks, trundle along the edge of your spongy tower balcony. You hear way in the distance, a few distant squawks as Ukraine to look off on your right you see a formation of creatures in the air, gliding high above the roof of the forest. Birds, you think at first, but then you realize maybe they're more reptilian than avian. Then that voice, that voice you heard ringing out deep underground somewhere, you hear this squid like entrance suddenly chime within your minds.

[Marisha Ray]

I'm not sure, but you might want that. It seemed very important to them.

[Matthew Mercer]

And the vial of toxin they referred to is rolling towards the edge of the mushroom cap and it's about three inches away from going lefaka.

[Ashley Johnson]

I dive using my tail as a spring and do a roll and just ever so gently try to put my paws around it.

[Matthew Mercer]

Why don't you give me an acrobatic stick?

[Laura Bailey]

Can I reach out and try and grab the tail to Prevent our friend from going over the edge.

[Ashley Johnson]

In case we talked about this.

[Liam O'Brien]

It'S.

[Ashley Johnson]

Not his first time.

[Matthew Mercer]

First for all.

[Ashley Johnson]

Yeah, I'm nervous. Ooh, that's a 12 plus 9.

[Matthew Mercer]

21. You do feel yourself sliding off. And though it's annoying, your tail goes thought and you catch it after it falls seven inches off the edge and you're looking down probably 150ft or so from where you are. Down, down, down to more. All manner of fungal growth. This creature, this green squid is not the right word. It has one central eye and multiple arms floating out of it. It's small. There are little eyes peppering its body. And you can see as it floats down in front of your face, that there is thin bands of runework coiling around its tendrils. And it speaks to you, in your mind. All of you here. But its eye is right by yours.

[Marisha Ray]

Greetings mortals. I am called Quilotradis. A virilium otronog. Well, maybe call me Quill. I have been at slumber for the better part of an age. It is good to stretch my arms again.

[Matthew Mercer]

And those little octopus like arms expand and stretch. Floats over in front of you.

[Marisha Ray]

You are called Niskan?

[Laura Bailey]

Yes, yes, quite. You hail from the apographer.

[Marisha Ray]

I have not been there for quite some time. I have been at rest.

[Liam O'Brien]

Stupid.

[Matthew Mercer]

Dead.

[Laura Bailey]

Please, tell me more. And he pulls a book out from his middle side of his ropes and starts taking notes.

[Marisha Ray]

You bear the mark of the great eye. Praise his wisdom as always. The prince of fate pulls its threads. His enemies are blind to.

[Laura Bailey]

How do you spell your name again? Wait. Where are you going?

[Marisha Ray]

We are not safe. These zivi I have pulled us from, they will not stop. I have read the malice of their minds.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

So they're not here anymore? They didn't come with us?

[Matthew Mercer]

No. Phew.

[Sam Riegel]

So you freed us. What do we owe you for that service?

[Marisha Ray]

Hermaeus Mora has hidden fragments of his deepest knowledge across the face of Nian. And this pair of hunters has come close to seizing one. The Grimorix Nimula. A daedric artifact of great import. One of the great eyes. Black Books of Power. The very tome that I have been tasked with safeguarding here in Nirn. Hermaeus Mora has instilled in me the soul enchantments to open the Grimorix. If used properly, it can usher one to the very heart of Apocrypha. The sanctum of the all seeing eye.

[Sam Riegel]

Blink, blink.

[Marisha Ray]

But it has been unearthed. I have seen it in your captors minds and feel it in my tendrils.

[Matthew Mercer]

Those little runes flare and glow slowly.

[Marisha Ray]

Thank you for releasing me, but I worry what they will do next.

[Matthew Mercer]

The word Zivily. All of you know what that means? You've never encountered one? Daedric entities like the Dremora. Persons and creatures from beyond the mortal coil that live or reside in the Plains of Oblivion. They do cross over into Tamriel. They are seen from time to time. The Dremora are tied to specific Daedric princes. Molag Bal being one of them. But the Zivily are not as tied to one particular cause or entity. They tend to follow their own ambition and hitch their wagon to whatever cause they think can serve them best.

[Marisha Ray]

The Grimorix is being held far to the north of here. And to the west. It's held by a woman cursed deep within a mountain far to the west of here. A warrior serving in a great grey army.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

Well, should we free her?

[Ashley Johnson]

I rather like this little creature thing. What is it? What are you?

[Marisha Ray]

Oh, someone referred to me as a watchling, but I am just a pint sized watcher.

[Ashley Johnson]

That's even cuter.

[Marisha Ray]

I have not been home to Apocrypha in many centuries.

[Ashley Johnson]

Because you were asleep.

[Marisha Ray]

I was sleeping. Waiting. Mora has hidden his black books across Tamriel. And this one in particular is my duty to protect.

[Laura Bailey]

Well, we would also like to protect this tome. Yes.

[Liam O'Brien]

What's in it for you?

[Marisha Ray]

To please my master. The one who knows.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

Are you. The Veil?

[Marisha Ray]

Some have called me more as Vale, but my real name is Quilatridas.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

Quilatridas Quid.

[Laura Bailey]

I trust him.

[Ashley Johnson]

This thing was in the artifact the whole time?

[Taliesin Jaffe]

Mm.

[Matthew Mercer]

You guys only were in possession of this cylinder of brass for maybe half a day as you climbed your way out of the dark pit. That you pulled it from reaching sunlight again, all you remember is a flash and losing consciousness and waking. Hanging in a chamber somewhere.

[Laura Bailey]

Friend Quill Washling. Do you have a sense of where this Grimorax Nimular would be? Could you guide us?

[Marisha Ray]

Of course. I am paired with it and it can only be opened in my presence.

[Laura Bailey]

Lovely, lovely, lovely, lovely. Do you also mind if any of these words skinned up edited in the final publication for brevity?

[Matthew Mercer]

Of course.

[Marisha Ray]

Are you talking about copyright?

[Laura Bailey]

Yes. Eventually. You don't have to worry about it. Later we'll talk. Might come back for some clarification later.

[Matthew Mercer]

Anyway, some of these winged creatures that you saw in the NOW lope a little closer and seem to notice you. Squawk. They look a little bit like a good Frame of reference is pterodactyl, maybe. Big webbed wings flapping. They do not look happy about your presence. But they just keep a distance and watch.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

Queer. Did you bring us here because some of your stuff is here?

[Marisha Ray]

No, I just went to the closest place that seemed available.

[Laura Bailey]

And I can tell you having, well, visiting my homeland, it's probably best that we get moving quickly nearby.

[Ashley Johnson]

You're from here?

[Laura Bailey]

I mean, haven't been home in a while, but yes.

[Ashley Johnson]

Moreover, rough neighborhood.

[Laura Bailey]

Don't judge. This is the outskirts.

[Marisha Ray]

I have read the minds of your captors.

[Ashley Johnson]

Do they think I'm cute? I got a sense that the big one. You can tell me.

[Marisha Ray]

I step away from that one. Seemed pretty easy.

[Ashley Johnson]

Fair, but that's not a no. Now, you mentioned a gray warrior and a princess in a mountain. Was that just poetry or was that a clue?

[Marisha Ray]

No. The twins meant to make an exchange. This vial of toxin in your possession for the grimoire. And I am the key.

[Sam Riegel]

So they were of course trying to. You were their goal. So that you could be there when they make the exchange and open the grimoire. Is that. Am I following enough?

[Laura Bailey]

It's pronounced Wimoir.

[Sam Riegel]

What if we say no? What happens to us?

[Marisha Ray]

Well, I suppose I would go alone.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

Well, no. The guild would be quite pleased if we brought back something of this nature, don't you think?

[Sam Riegel]

I do think so.

[Ashley Johnson]

Also, it's a baby talador.

[Sam Riegel]

There would be no punishment coming our way for. You mean we have a choice?

[Marisha Ray]

There is always a choice.

[Sam Riegel]

No, there isn't.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

Is Hermaeus. Is this a Daedric or a Hermaeus Mora?

[Matthew Mercer]

Hermes, no roles for this. The Et Ada, the spirits of this world, the Aedra and the Daedra are. There are so many myths and legends and different versions of the stories. But Hermaeus Mora, who goes by many names, is a Daedric prince. But many of the Daedric princes are much more malevolent and nasty. And Hermaeus is more about fate and amassing secrets and hidden knowledge. And you specifically are very aware of the black books of Hermaeus Mora. They are rare. Rare, rare artifacts hidden in the mortal world by Hermes.

[Laura Bailey]

I'm already walking to a northwestern direction. Are you coming? Because if not, you'll get eaten.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

I follow him. He knows the area well.

[Matthew Mercer]

You're 120. 130ft in the sky.

[Marisha Ray]

Does that mean you will come with me to secure the Grimorix Nemular?

[Laura Bailey]

Of course. Would be the honor of a lifetime, my friend.

[Matthew Mercer]

Time and space bends around you, you shrink in again. You are standing in utter darkness.

[Ashley Johnson]

I cough up a hairball.

[Liam O'Brien]

Is there a calmer way of traveling?

[Taliesin Jaffe]

This wasn't the second time.

[Matthew Mercer]

You can see all those runes along Quill's tendrils and body fade to dark. And now you have a moment to stand, feeling deep chill hit your bones. But it's not pitch dark. There is the barest bit of light in here from bioluminescent growth in patches in the chamber. This is very hard to see, but you begin to understand that you are in a rough cave. There are several long rows of barrels sealed, running along the wall. And you can tell that maybe about 50, 50ft off. Past them, the cave twists and travels onward from where you are.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

Do you think it's safe to.

[Sam Riegel]

No, I think it's light.

[Liam O'Brien]

I feel like we should proceed with caution.

[Sam Riegel]

Be careful not to. We have to study things before we understand them well enough to interact with them. I think. Yes.

[Ashley Johnson]

I'm, like, sniffing and licking at one of the barrels.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

Lit it up is all.

[Sam Riegel]

Okay.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

Light a rocks.

[Laura Bailey]

You feeling all right, Vernon?

[Liam O'Brien]

I'm fine.

[Matthew Mercer]

Are you? Just trying to figure out what's inside. Okay. Make a Nature or Medicine check.

[Ashley Johnson]

Not good in either of these, but I'll go medicine.

[Marisha Ray]

Okay.

[Ashley Johnson]

10.

[Matthew Mercer]

10. It smells well, first of wine. Ooh.

[Ashley Johnson]

More.

[Matthew Mercer]

There is a big, wide stopper in it. If you want to have at it a bit. You can probably.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

You don't have to tongue the hole, you know. You.

[Ashley Johnson]

Put my water flask, dump the water out of my water flask, and.

[Matthew Mercer]

You fill your flask with wine.

[Liam O'Brien]

Mm.

[Ashley Johnson]

You're feeling a bit green around the gills.

[Liam O'Brien]

My tongue slams over there and I just lick the rim and pull it.

[Matthew Mercer]

Oh, my goodness. Arox, will you make a Nature or Men Sanchez?

[Liam O'Brien]

Six.

[Matthew Mercer]

Six. Oh, no, it's good.

[Laura Bailey]

It's.

[Matthew Mercer]

It's good. It's a little different from any wine you've ever tasted before, but it's not bad. It has a strange aftertaste to it, a metallic aftertaste to it that you weren't expecting.

[Ashley Johnson]

Not bad for cave wine.

[Matthew Mercer]

Yeah.

[Liam O'Brien]

Makes you wonder what the distillery down here is like.

[Sam Riegel]

Makes you wonder who else is down here.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

Is it a cave or is it built out?

[Matthew Mercer]

It is a cave. But these are clearly laid in a row. There's two rows, probably about 20 barrels.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

Any labels? Anything?

[Matthew Mercer]

No.

[Ashley Johnson]

You want a glass prisine?

[Taliesin Jaffe]

I'll smell it. Can I smell it?

[Matthew Mercer]

Mm. Will you please make that roll? Sure.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

And this is a medicine or nature? 15.

[Matthew Mercer]

15. You tasted it the Aftertaste.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

I was only smelling it.

[Matthew Mercer]

Oh, smelling it. Okay, okay. Smells like blood.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

Smells like blood.

[Matthew Mercer]

And wine. But also blood.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

You know, Quill didn't mention vampires.

[Sam Riegel]

Yes. This poison was meant for a vampire to use against a vampire. If I.

[Liam O'Brien]

You drink blood and the metal does feel like silver.

[Matthew Mercer]

One of the zivily mentioned vampire.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

Okay. Okay. I heard vampire.

[Matthew Mercer]

Yes. Yes, you did.

[Ashley Johnson]

I knew that.

[Matthew Mercer]

You were upside down with a head rush full of blood.

[Ashley Johnson]

To be fair.

[Liam O'Brien]

Yeah.

[Ashley Johnson]

Khajiit love. Drinking blood. It's. That's an important part of our diet.

[Matthew Mercer]

Really?

[Taliesin Jaffe]

So we could poison them? Take some of this wine. And we can poison vampire.

[Laura Bailey]

Putting it together for my zine.

[Matthew Mercer]

Yes.

[Sam Riegel]

My colleague's thirst for knowledge is insatiable. Quill is here.

[Matthew Mercer]

Yes.

[Sam Riegel]

Quill. And I'll reference the vial for you.

[Matthew Mercer]

You feel this on your face?

[Sam Riegel]

Oof.

[Liam O'Brien]

Oof.

[Sam Riegel]

Okay. I close my eyes. This is not research. It's not research. Are we alone here? You've taken us here. You knew where you were taking us. What is here? What's waiting for us here?

[Marisha Ray]

I can feel the presence of the Grimoriks.

[Liam O'Brien]

Right?

[Marisha Ray]

That is all I know.

[Sam Riegel]

But this vial. Right? You understand that this. This vial that we have in our possession. That's. That's a key to this. We're meant to exchange this for the Grimoriks.

[Marisha Ray]

That is what I read from their minds. I do not know everything.

[Sam Riegel]

Okay.

[Ashley Johnson]

Maybe this is our princess in the mountain.

[Sam Riegel]

Maybe. And maybe the princess in the mountain is a vampire.

[Ashley Johnson]

And maybe you can talk to her because you look how flowers smell.

[Liam O'Brien]

That looks very lovely.

[Ashley Johnson]

Because they don't smell very good. So you can maybe just talk to her and use magic. Because you're not enchanting at all.

[Sam Riegel]

Do we hear any footsteps? Any people talking anywhere Reverberating in the.

[Matthew Mercer]

Make a perception check. While Quill says in your mind.

[Marisha Ray]

There are many secrets contained in the Grimorix dark arts. But the reason these two are seeking it is to enter my master's domain. If the Grimorix Nimular is taken.

[Matthew Mercer]

To.

[Marisha Ray]

Hermeias stairway, they will breach Apocrypha and enter the Great One's home.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

Did we all hear that? Or is that just him?

[Matthew Mercer]

You all heard it.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

Oh my.

[Matthew Mercer]

But the eye wet and is right in front of you because it can tell that you're listening.

[Sam Riegel]

I am. And I'm stay focused on him. But open my ears up to see if I hear anything in the cavern.

[Matthew Mercer]

Right?

[Sam Riegel]

A12.

[Matthew Mercer]

Oh, no.

[Sam Riegel]

Perception no. 7.

[Matthew Mercer]

No. Your senses are overwhelmed by the voice of this strange Little one's voice in your head and its proximity to your face.

[Sam Riegel]

Everything you just said sounds like it would be a really bad thing if that were to happen. Am I right?

[Marisha Ray]

Oh, yes.

[Sam Riegel]

Okay. Understood. I step away from him. Just back one step.

[Matthew Mercer]

Quill begins to float slowly towards that passage.

[Marisha Ray]

This way. This way.

[Laura Bailey]

Yes, coming. Of course.

[Sam Riegel]

Wait. We might be in trouble. Maybe we should get our ducks in.

[Matthew Mercer]

A row before we go.

[Liam O'Brien]

Right. Squid seem to be a bit of a close talker.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

I'm going to reach my hand out over to the things filled with blood and I'm going to cast false life and just give myself a little bit of temporary hit points just in case.

[Sam Riegel]

I see you activate that magic and I start to do the same. And you see Z. So it's almost as if energy pulls from the ground and into my body and then bursts out of me for a second and then right back in. I'm activating a number of things.

[Liam O'Brien]

Yes.

[Sam Riegel]

So I am activating Daedric Refuge as well as hardened ward and the two people closest to me. Which I'm just going to say are the two closest to me at the table. So, Amiri Nishkan, you feel almost like a protective barrier gather around you and then be absorbed by you as you each gain five actual hit points. Eight. Oh, and this shimmering green light starts to almost dance around me. And every couple seconds you see it pulse like a barrier. I've activated aid. I've activated false life as well. And I've activated a ward, a protective ward. In addition to that.

[Matthew Mercer]

We love magical flavor in this house.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

I got 10 temporary hit points.

[Matthew Mercer]

10. All right.

[Laura Bailey]

Preparation of this Nishkan, who automatically started taking a few steps to follow the strange squid entity as it goes away. He stops himself and hears the various mutterings of incantations. Ah, yes, preparations. I've nearly forgot. Pardon me, Quill. And reaches within and pulls out his own. This heavy tome that he carries latched and chained to his side. It's up with all manner of arcane ruins between. And you can see a faint greenish glow that even faintly matches elements of the coloration of what was briefly pulled from that sigil circle in the middle of that chamber. As he does, you watch as the runic symbols seem to flash and these waves of strange. A milky green arcane power that then begins to swirl around his body, forming what would be a fate woven armor that surrounds his body. Both giving him an AC boost and some temporary hit points.

[Marisha Ray]

Don't forget your zine.

[Laura Bailey]

Picks it up off the ground. That's what I'm thinking of calling it, it's more of a leafy. You know, publishing costs are expensive, so.

[Ashley Johnson]

I think I just like. Emerrie puts her hands on her shoulders and kind of just does a little shimmy casting mage armor. And while she does, she pulls at the cords at her waist to pull down her jester's ruff so that the bells at the edges kind of sit close and don't jingle as a motifle.

[Matthew Mercer]

Pressed to the cloth. Excellent. So we're following Quill, the watchling as they float through again. The tiny etchings of Rune on their body glow softly as they move forward and you follow. And a lot of heights today. You step out around a bending passage in this cave and suddenly into a vast open space. You are very, very high in an unbelievably large underground cavern. Close to the very roof of the place. There is a rough stone wall that's only about knee high that has been built here at some point, crumbling in places that serves as a balcony overlook down at a massive black keep below. Huge concentric ringed walls with towers stabbing into the air like daggers. Gothic architecture and light too. There are very tall blue bioluminescent mushrooms here as well, dimly lighting this place. There's a moat that you can see in front of this keep with a little bit of magma flowing through it. There are people here. They're very far below you. They look barely more than ants from this distance. But you can see probably 70 or 80 people from where you are. People cloaked. You see what looks like a little platoon of people walking together. Individuals all about because there's buildings here and there. It's a small bustling living keep of sorts. The balcony that you're on is really more of a walkway and it's. It's rough. It's a natural feature of the cavern. But someone has built a little stone wall here. And you see it stretches about halfway around this entire giant cavern where you stand as Quill lowers down and you can see them bobbing just above that wall. You're very far away. It's low chances maybe of being spotted, but you are quite unprotected in plain sight. If someone is looking in the right way.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

Can we crouch below the wall?

[Matthew Mercer]

Yeah. Let's do a group stealth check, guys.

[Liam O'Brien]

Yeah.

[Laura Bailey]

Looking through his book.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

Oh, does anyone have pass without chase? That's too bad.

[Matthew Mercer]

Yikes.

[Sam Riegel]

It is too bad.

[Liam O'Brien]

It is too bad.

[Ashley Johnson]

I got a 19. What did everyone else get a 19?

[Taliesin Jaffe]

Hey, hey, hey.

[Sam Riegel]

11.

[Matthew Mercer]

11.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

Bye.

[Laura Bailey]

Oh, eight.

[Matthew Mercer]

Way up here. D.C. i was looking for is 10. So that 11.

[Marisha Ray]

Phew.

[Matthew Mercer]

Just pulled you over.

[Marisha Ray]

Wow.

[Matthew Mercer]

You guys bend down low and begin to, crouched over, move slowly along. Quill is leading the way. You watch as the rooms dim a little bit. Bats flying by. Maybe 100ft out over this cavern.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

Dalidor. Dalidor, I say to your butt as you're crawling in front of me.

[Matthew Mercer]

What? What?

[Taliesin Jaffe]

How does it feel to know you were betrayed by someone that you were very close to?

[Liam O'Brien]

How do you think?

[Matthew Mercer]

It feels?

[Taliesin Jaffe]

Terrible.

[Sam Riegel]

Yeah, that's somewhere around there.

[Matthew Mercer]

Yes.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

Oh. Oh. Okay. I was just making sure you're all right.

[Sam Riegel]

Yeah, I'm okay.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

Okay. Pip, pip. Feel better.

[Matthew Mercer]

Do that one more time.

[Sam Riegel]

It does feel better.

[Matthew Mercer]

Five minutes go by. Ten minutes. You slowly make your way along. And you are again seeing what looks like elements of an army down in this place. And the place looks ancient. It must have been here for centuries. Just going by this low stone wall up here alone. Eventually, Quill floats their way to the passage. This walkway continues. But Quill turns and starts moving up a gentle slope up into the ceiling.

[Ashley Johnson]

Are we there yet? Quill? We've been walking forever.

[Marisha Ray]

It's still a bit farther yet. Sorry.

[Ashley Johnson]

How.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

How far?

[Marisha Ray]

I don't know the metric system.

[Matthew Mercer]

Okay, fair.

[Ashley Johnson]

That's fair. I'll just. Okay.

[Marisha Ray]

Which is funny considering my accent, but.

[Liam O'Brien]

Do you understand minutes?

[Sam Riegel]

Yes. Do you know time? You probably don't. You probably don't understand time.

[Marisha Ray]

Time is a very funny thing.

[Sam Riegel]

It is.

[Ashley Johnson]

You are asleep. For how long do you think?

[Marisha Ray]

Oh, for an age, at least.

[Sam Riegel]

Okay, that's vague enough.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

It does sound long, actually.

[Sam Riegel]

Yeah, it does.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

Have we ever seen anything like quail before? A little baby watcher?

[Matthew Mercer]

No, I don't think you've seen a watcher using a regular watcher. Yeah, you may have.

[Sam Riegel]

Have we seen these while we're doing.

[Laura Bailey]

This and keeping an eye out to see that we're not being noticed. As we get closer, are we able to make out any details or specifics about those who live in this underground community? What their business might be?

[Liam O'Brien]

Can we hear them?

[Matthew Mercer]

Yes. Are they armored? Sure. Well, I'll say this as you have that thought. And Quill begins to float up into leaving any kind of architecture behind and just moving into a crack in the stone here. You have a moment to pause and look. You can make a. You can make a perception or an investigation Check. In this moment, I thing.

[Laura Bailey]

Three.

[Sam Riegel]

3 dirty 20 trace 3 T14 investigation on my.

[Matthew Mercer]

You look at Niskaunt's squinting. Poindexter can't see shit. But you can. Your eyes are excellent.

[Ashley Johnson]

I pointedly put my head on his shoulder to look.

[Matthew Mercer]

You watch. It is clearly a military presence down here of some kind. One that you are not familiar with. I'm not really sure where you guys are. But you watch for a good minute and a half trying to glean some bit of information. And you watch one older man walking down a street and gets to a bridge and you see. And a little bat.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

Are they all vampires?

[Liam O'Brien]

No, two.

[Sam Riegel]

I told you.

[Matthew Mercer]

Fly.

[Sam Riegel]

That's what I said.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

They're all vampires.

[Liam O'Brien]

All of them.

[Laura Bailey]

I didn't think that.

[Sam Riegel]

That's worse.

[Laura Bailey]

I didn't see anything.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

I don't think vampires got old vampire.

[Liam O'Brien]

Where? Down there. He went into a bed. He was walking creepy.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

Well, that's not fun fun.

[Sam Riegel]

Because you know what? They don't feed on each other.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

Well, how are they surviving? Oh, the barrels.

[Liam O'Brien]

The barrels.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

Best not become a barrel, right?

[Sam Riegel]

That's a. Yeah, that's one way to put it.

[Liam O'Brien]

Sure. That's putting it mildly.

[Ashley Johnson]

I've rendered myself inedible.

[Sam Riegel]

How so? And as soon as. You could do that to me.

[Ashley Johnson]

Yes, darling. I'm so full of skooma. If they ate me. They would not. They wouldn't. They don't have the tolerance.

[Liam O'Brien]

Iskooma contagious.

[Matthew Mercer]

It can't everybody do skooma right now.

[Laura Bailey]

Just look over at Pristine. Be like. Well, that certainly explains the outcome.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

How funded.

[Ashley Johnson]

Wait, do you guys go on our adventures sober?

[Liam O'Brien]

I had some of the wine.

[Matthew Mercer]

Well, we're.

[Sam Riegel]

We're taking notes.

[Ashley Johnson]

I don't know how you survived the Upside Down.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

I don't know how we survived with you. If you're not.

[Ashley Johnson]

You always gotta have a little Lucy in your goosey.

[Sam Riegel]

This is you, Lucy. Goosey?

[Taliesin Jaffe]

Yes, Lucy. That's a title.

[Laura Bailey]

Where is Quill?

[Matthew Mercer]

Quill. You can just see the dimmest little bit of light disappearing around.

[Ashley Johnson]

I glug, glug, glug and climb up.

[Sam Riegel]

Do you have some of that?

[Ashley Johnson]

After him.

[Matthew Mercer]

What did you glug, glug?

[Ashley Johnson]

My skooma.

[Matthew Mercer]

Your skooma? Awesome.

[Sam Riegel]

Wait, I want to.

[Ashley Johnson]

I thought everyone shared with a weird deft.

[Liam O'Brien]

I grabbed these two and I bolt. Teleport us up to where Quill is.

[Matthew Mercer]

What do you do?

[Liam O'Brien]

I teleport us up to where Quill is.

[Matthew Mercer]

You teleport?

[Liam O'Brien]

Yes.

[Matthew Mercer]

Wait, how are you? Are you misty stepping? Are you?

[Liam O'Brien]

No, I did a bolt escape.

[Matthew Mercer]

A bolt escape? Tell me about it.

[Liam O'Brien]

So what I did was I grabbed the two of them because I see that Quill is getting away from us. And as he's getting further and further away or they're getting further and further away. They're getting dimmer and dimmer. And we don't want to get lost behind. He's being very cryptic right now. But I'm going to trust him because you seem to trust him.

[Laura Bailey]

Oh, totally. Entirely trustworthy.

[Liam O'Brien]

So grab these two and energy around us and it's lightning and lightning and lightning and lightning.

[Laura Bailey]

Ow, ow, ow, ow.

[Liam O'Brien]

And go right eye to eye with Quill.

[Laura Bailey]

So they use that misty step ability right there.

[Liam O'Brien]

Right.

[Matthew Mercer]

Perfect.

[Marisha Ray]

I was looking for you. Keep up.

[Sam Riegel]

Okay. They're leaving us behind. But I want some of the candy.

[Matthew Mercer]

They continue floating up and up. And it's not a climb. It is an incline. It's leg day for sure for a bit. And eventually starts to descend again. You're moving your way through. Through not manicured civilized architecture, but just crevasse. After five or six more minutes of navigating in this direction, that thin passage opens up to another large section of cave in the system. Nowhere near as the last. That contained an entire keep and a small city of people. But it is dark in here. And there is a big drop off in front of you. But there are. Ooh, let's see if I can remember the right word. Stalac mites.

[Liam O'Brien]

Stalactmites and stalactites.

[Sam Riegel]

Stalactites are top down.

[Matthew Mercer]

I wanted the mites.

[Sam Riegel]

Yes.

[Matthew Mercer]

Mites are harder.

[Laura Bailey]

Right?

[Matthew Mercer]

50. 50 chance.

[Laura Bailey]

As Stephen Colbert taught me. Embarrassingly.

[Matthew Mercer]

So this is a fairly large chamber. And it is dark before you. Except for where. And you're glowing a little bit, aren't you? Am I glowing from your stuff?

[Sam Riegel]

Oh, there's a shimmer on occasion. Just a little pulse of it.

[Matthew Mercer]

So you can see the barrier. Unless someone does something else between Quill and you. There is dim light here. And you can see almost pillars or these stalagmites. The ledge that you walk up to just drops away. But there are series of stalagmites reaching up out of the dark in front of you. And Quill just starts floating over them.

[Laura Bailey]

Great.

[Matthew Mercer]

And curves off to the right. How far does it go before Quill gets out? About 50ft and turns around and flares a bit. And you can see what looks like a column of stone descending into the dark. You lose track. After about 30ft. You can get to Quill. You can easily walk your way over on top of them. Yeah, they're close enough.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

All right. Let's do that then.

[Sam Riegel]

You first.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

Gladly.

[Liam O'Brien]

You do seem Confident I am. Ladies first.

[Matthew Mercer]

You daintily step your way out, Procine. But after about 20 seconds you get to a point where. Where it is not steppable. It's not terrible. But you're going to have to jump about 7ft to get to the next one. So I need you to make an athletics or acrobatics. Oh no, Phil, check or do something crazy.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

Okay.

[Sam Riegel]

There's a huge chasm underneath us, right?

[Taliesin Jaffe]

Yes.

[Matthew Mercer]

It just drops away. Right. You are stepping on what feels like stone. You know what uneven, different shaped platforms. It's a platformer.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

Guys, I gotcha started this as a cartographer. I'm a bit of an archaeologist. That's how I joined mages.

[Matthew Mercer]

I'm a bit of an archaeologist myself.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

So I have, you know, a miner's pick with me. I'm going to pull that out.

[Matthew Mercer]

Yes.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

And I'm going to jump with it in my hand so that if I fall, I'll hit the stalagmite and be able to catch myself.

[Matthew Mercer]

I will adjust the numbers in my head as you leap.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

All right.

[Matthew Mercer]

Seven feet. It's also not a tiny landing. It's like eight or nine feet wide, so there's lots of room for error if you crash out of there.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

It's very non athletic. Oh, that's kind of cocked though. It's kind of cocked.

[Laura Bailey]

Can you put a dice on top of it?

[Taliesin Jaffe]

Okay.

[Liam O'Brien]

Is it always.

[Sam Riegel]

Oh, that would have great measured.

[Matthew Mercer]

No, turned it into a two.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

That's a great way to measure it.

[Laura Bailey]

If you can rest on the dice and it stops on it, then it sits.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

It's not nearly as great. That's a six, not a 20.

[Matthew Mercer]

Okay.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

But I have a pick in mind.

[Sam Riegel]

You start falling, I'm gonna do something. She starts falling, I jump and I'm okay. I'm not. I don't know why she hit.

[Matthew Mercer]

You hear her voice go as she hits the lip of it and then the pit goes. So you hear that?

[Sam Riegel]

I'm gonna leap onto you and as soon as I touch you, I'm casting fly on both of us.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

Oh, well, that's lovely.

[Sam Riegel]

And I don't know what came over me, but I just couldn't stand the sight of you going down into the darkness alone. And so I just like the way you touched me earlier. And I think I might need a.

[Liam O'Brien]

Little bit more of that.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

Smack his bum.

[Matthew Mercer]

Thank you. Girl floats down.

[Marisha Ray]

It's funny that you didn't do that earlier.

[Sam Riegel]

Well, I'm trying to save my resources.

[Laura Bailey]

Because there's vampires here now that You've spent them. Can you carry us across, please? Uppies.

[Matthew Mercer]

You take him. Matt, I'm giving you. I don't know why. I'm giving you inspiration for uppies.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

I fly over and I try to carry you. I'm very weak.

[Laura Bailey]

I'm very heavy.

[Matthew Mercer]

Okay, just hold on to me. This block of text is gone. Little by little, you guys float your team over. And for the most part, this does look walkable. But even beyond that first jump, there is one that is even longer that probably would have murdered you. So luckily you're casters Tador saving the day.

[Sam Riegel]

And if we want the mechanics of it, it was a twin spell fly, which is why it was two targets. And that burns a lot of my resources.

[Matthew Mercer]

How long does that last?

[Sam Riegel]

Fly is 10 minutes, I believe.

[Matthew Mercer]

10 minutes. Okay.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

Definitely an hour.

[Sam Riegel]

Yes. That's 10 minutes. Just out of curiosity, I'm going to also. I'll help people fly you across, but I will grab a rock and as we're all across, I'm going to cast light on the rock and just let it fall down the chasm.

[Matthew Mercer]

I just want to see it falls very fast. You mean down?

[Sam Riegel]

Yeah, down where we would have fallen.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

If it's like 10ft.

[Sam Riegel]

That's what I'm waiting for.

[Laura Bailey]

It's a nice velvet floor.

[Liam O'Brien]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Matthew Mercer]

It's closer to 80.

[Sam Riegel]

Okay. Just curious to see if there's anything.

[Matthew Mercer]

Kept moving on as you glide back to rejoin the party. As you're passing over that I mentioned a larger jump, you notice some scratches along the edge of one of those dug in. That's all.

[Sam Riegel]

Okay.

[Matthew Mercer]

Everything's great.

[Sam Riegel]

All right.

[Ashley Johnson]

Do you think that.

[Liam O'Brien]

How big are these scratches?

[Taliesin Jaffe]

I think there's something down there.

[Liam O'Brien]

I know. Talking kitty claws.

[Matthew Mercer]

Hand sized.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

Should we do the light. Do the light trick?

[Sam Riegel]

Okay. I'm gonna pick up another pebble.

[Matthew Mercer]

Do a.

[Sam Riegel]

Where you're doing it a light trick down this.

[Matthew Mercer]

Oh, I see.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

So we can see what it was that they would have.

[Sam Riegel]

Yeah. Oh, this sounds bad, but I will throw this lit pebble down creatures home.

[Matthew Mercer]

Falls and bounces off of a bit of stone jutting out. And then plinkos its way down and falls to rest. You see light play shadows all about it down there. You don't see anything.

[Sam Riegel]

Do we hear anything?

[Matthew Mercer]

You can make a perception check if you want.

[Ashley Johnson]

My little eyes are following the light rock like it's a laser. Do you have the urge to jump just like dilated. See the claws like kind of perched.

[Liam O'Brien]

Make sure she doesn't jump.

[Sam Riegel]

Yes, yes.

[Liam O'Brien]

All right.

[Sam Riegel]

That's a 15 perception.

[Matthew Mercer]

It is dead silent in here. Okay. Except for Niskan using a spray bottle.

[Laura Bailey]

He conveniently had Grimoire on one side. I was ready for this trip.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

It's not the first time, but probably for the best.

[Sam Riegel]

And this floating is not going to last very long. So I guess we should move forward and take advantage of.

[Matthew Mercer]

Quill has hovered over another ledge on the far end of this place. You guys have bypassed a very deadly little obstacle course and land on foot. And they begin to float further in and down and down and down. Unless anyone has any business, you walk for 15 or 20 minutes. Sorry. Flyspell.

[Sam Riegel]

Back on our feet.

[Matthew Mercer]

And the passage you're in slowly widens out again. And you're greeted by it. There's some more of these seven or eight feet high. There's three or four in this chamber. These blue mushrooms that glow with bioluminescence. And there is architecture here. From where you stand. The chamber spills down and down a slope in and you can see a smaller version of the massive place you saw before. It's an octagonal ringed wall. And there is a tower, a single tower poking up on the opposite side of of this structure. The stone ahead of you eventually turns into walkway and stair that leads up to and it's 200ft away from where you are right now. Stairs leading through an open archway into this place.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

Are there any vampires around that we can see?

[Matthew Mercer]

Make a per second. Hold on.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

I must find the right one.

[Matthew Mercer]

I miss.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

1313.

[Matthew Mercer]

Rolling.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

Great. I just got to find the right dice for these characters and I haven't found it yet.

[Laura Bailey]

You'll get there at the end.

[Matthew Mercer]

You almost miss it. Priscine. But you think you can hear the barest bit of a voice. Was it singing? You can't hear it anymore.

[Liam O'Brien]

Ricky Spanish.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

I heard singing.

[Ashley Johnson]

Did you hear that?

[Taliesin Jaffe]

You have good ears.

[Ashley Johnson]

This place was very difficult.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

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

[Matthew Mercer]

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

[Taliesin Jaffe]

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

[Matthew Mercer]

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

[Taliesin Jaffe]

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

[Matthew Mercer]

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

[Taliesin Jaffe]

New episodes release every Tuesday.

[Ashley Johnson]

Can I cast an eye and try to tell if the last place looked like it was? Trying to keep people out. Is this trying to keep something in?

[Matthew Mercer]

Make an investigation check.

[Ashley Johnson]

18.

[Matthew Mercer]

18. You can tell from the design of the tower, which has. You're looking at the rear of it. And just by the light of a far off shroom, you can see that this chamber continues on in the other direction. Or it slowly sinks in that you're at the back of this place. Its orientation is facing that way. Okay.

[Sam Riegel]

Interesting.

[Ashley Johnson]

I prick an ear up to try to hear for the singing that Pristine mentioned.

[Matthew Mercer]

Make a perception check.

[Ashley Johnson]

Nat1. I have 17 passing too.

[Matthew Mercer]

They probably stop. You don't hear anything. If she heard anything, I think it's.

[Ashley Johnson]

Because Priscilla seen as asking me. I don't even. I don't even think her voice was that good. I like it. I like it more when Skooma's wild, bro. Although I wish she'd stop. It's distracting.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

I don't think.

[Matthew Mercer]

She'S drunk.

[Sam Riegel]

She's taking a lot of those. Whatever that is. She's not sharing. I asked twice if she would give me some.

[Laura Bailey]

I assume the spaces save then, Right?

[Taliesin Jaffe]

You'll see. Adra, turn to it.

[Sam Riegel]

I will pocket it. I have a pocket right here.

[Matthew Mercer]

A minutia gun. Yes.

[Laura Bailey]

Well, you're wearing a scooma to everyone. Are we?

[Matthew Mercer]

I'm wearing a handsome mage's cloak. Right.

[Sam Riegel]

Yes. My little trench coat.

[Matthew Mercer]

Right. Sure.

[Sam Riegel]

It's got a pocket out here for pens, components and pension. I must call her. I swear.

[Ashley Johnson]

Niskan.

[Laura Bailey]

Yes.

[Ashley Johnson]

You get down with the Daedra, right?

[Laura Bailey]

I've read and researched quite a few things about them.

[Ashley Johnson]

You won't get any judgment from me.

[Laura Bailey]

Are you just assuming that because I'm a dunmer?

[Ashley Johnson]

No, I'm assuming that because you're a fanfic. That is going in your.

[Laura Bailey]

Oh, cool. Great. I appreciate that. Well, yes. I have quite a vested interest in all sorts of arcana. And in particular the great Emmaus Mora. Indeed. Which has guided us on this. I believe this is a path that we were meant to walk.

[Matthew Mercer]

Quite Quilt. Just hovers and then rests on your Shoulders for this little speech. Finally.

[Ashley Johnson]

I have been searching for the Skooma cat for a long time. The one that you might know as Sheogorath.

[Laura Bailey]

Those. So you follow the path of Sheogora.

[Ashley Johnson]

Chill. Right? Be cool about it. But I feel that if I help you along your path, maybe the two moons might help me along mine. There's no real logic to it. Cause I'm a little drunk. But my thought is.

[Matthew Mercer]

Sh.

[Laura Bailey]

Closes his grimoire and hides it in the robe. All right. They're not listening.

[Matthew Mercer]

Continue.

[Ashley Johnson]

My thought is, if I give you this vial, maybe you can parley on behalf of the Daedra. You serve with these. That. What were we talking about?

[Laura Bailey]

We'll figure it out when we get there. And he takes the vial from your hand.

[Matthew Mercer]

Trust me.

[Ashley Johnson]

Amiri trusts you. Whoa. What are you.

[Laura Bailey]

What are you looking.

[Marisha Ray]

What is a Skooma cat?

[Ashley Johnson]

A Skooma cat shows us that in order to see the light in ourselves, we have to embrace the shadow.

[Matthew Mercer]

Two little tendril palms go bonk. Oh.

[Marisha Ray]

What are we doing?

[Laura Bailey]

Well, we're going to find the Grimorax.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

Do you feel a draw to it? A pull?

[Matthew Mercer]

It's there. Wow.

[Sam Riegel]

Oh, look.

[Liam O'Brien]

We should probably follow the squidly.

[Sam Riegel]

Yes.

[Ashley Johnson]

I go after also doing this.

[Matthew Mercer]

Oh, no. It gestured. It did not start moving.

[Liam O'Brien]

Oh, I see.

[Matthew Mercer]

Okay.

[Liam O'Brien]

I see.

[Ashley Johnson]

I do start walking.

[Matthew Mercer]

I still do it.

[Sam Riegel]

I'm torn.

[Matthew Mercer]

Are you drunkenly or are you just stealthy?

[Ashley Johnson]

Drunkenly. Stealthy.

[Sam Riegel]

Not quite yet.

[Laura Bailey]

I haven't touched it since college. I will.

[Matthew Mercer]

Are we following Emeri as she.

[Liam O'Brien]

I feel like the spirit is leading her somewhere. I'm not quite sure what this gesture is.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

You know what's guarding the Grimrock? I don't. I can't keep up with the words. The Grim. Grimloric.

[Matthew Mercer]

Grimorix Nimular. It's just the Grimorix Nimular, Laura. The Grimorix Nimular. Who doesn't know the Grimorix Nimular?

[Sam Riegel]

Grimorik's Nimilar.

[Matthew Mercer]

What was the question?

[Taliesin Jaffe]

Is there something guarding it? Or is it just out in a room?

[Marisha Ray]

And I only know what I've read from the Zivilli. They meant to bring this bottle, this vial, this bottle and have some sort of exchange.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

Perfect. Then let's go have the exchange. What is the vial?

[Sam Riegel]

I think poison. Poison? I think I remember hearing you heard.

[Matthew Mercer]

The word toxin spoken in Savannah.

[Liam O'Brien]

So it's a toxin room.

[Sam Riegel]

Yes, a toxin. I think a vampire that's after a toxin to end another vampire. I remember hearing something like that.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

All right, so we're here to make a deal or kill the vampire that's guarding the. We'll figure out.

[Liam O'Brien]

Whatever's easier.

[Ashley Johnson]

Let's go.

[Matthew Mercer]

Yeah. Creepy, creepy.

[Sam Riegel]

Mm.

[Matthew Mercer]

Is everyone doing this? Yeah.

[Sam Riegel]

Oh, man. I feel peer pressured into it.

[Matthew Mercer]

Let's do the stealth check.

[Liam O'Brien]

5.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

I found the right one.

[Sam Riegel]

I didn't.

[Laura Bailey]

Yeah, there you go.

[Matthew Mercer]

15.

[Ashley Johnson]

15, 28.

[Sam Riegel]

Oh, my.

[Laura Bailey]

Oh, Kaji. Get it.

[Sam Riegel]

1321. W.

[Matthew Mercer]

Okay, I'm bad at things, but.

[Laura Bailey]

The book will be great.

[Matthew Mercer]

You guys follow your inhibited friend down this slope. And once you get about 60ft away from this thing. Now you hear a voice. It's not singing out, but you hear a woman's voice quietly singing to herself.

[Marisha Ray]

Little crow, wind doth blow.

[Matthew Mercer]

Sounds kind of bored as the winter takes its tide. Stay your course. Shed remorse. Narragan, to be so blind.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

Does it sound young or old?

[Matthew Mercer]

An adult, but not old. You are climbing these stairs. There are about 20 to 30 of them rising to an open arch at the back of this place. And you can see as you're rising up it, inside what looks like a big open. It's octagonal, but it is walled in. And there are arches on the inside, just from the angle you can see, see, with thick statues filling under each arch. And there's a stone sword in between each of those. Again, very old Place the design in here. We keep going creeping up the stairs.

[Laura Bailey]

I'm following you. Are you going?

[Matthew Mercer]

Yeah.

[Laura Bailey]

Then, yes.

[Matthew Mercer]

Hail the helm, Lord. Hail the windstorm. Wet your blade.

[Marisha Ray]

The sheep will be.

[Matthew Mercer]

As you're rising just to the top of those stairs and can now see the ground in this place. And you see more of this old stonework and statues ringing in the entire place. You see a figure in a split second, all in one white rags and pelts or furs, in a squat position almost with a spear there. But don't worry, because as soon as you guys step up and that five causes a little stone pebble on the stairs to go. That figure stands and turns, and you see a woman, a Nord with white blonde, I want to say arctic punk mullet, spear in hand. And the spear instantly goes pointing forward. And she turns her head. Father. And there's a big lump and pile of brown fur on the ground past her. And an old dad bod man sits up with half a head of white hair, and he's wearing what looks like. Maybe it's bear fur. He's got a big cloak on, but there's no shirt on underneath. So he's just got this big Belly. And he stands up. Who the hell are these milk drinkers? Oh, not another step. How did you get in here? By way of Greymoor Keep, no less.

[Laura Bailey]

We're travelers. Not aligned with the keep in particular. We are seekers of knowledge and may have gotten a bit off track here.

[Matthew Mercer]

Her face twists.

[Laura Bailey]

Oh, we mean no harm. No harm at all.

[Sam Riegel]

I start singing.

[Matthew Mercer]

What do you sing?

[Sam Riegel]

Hail the Helm, Lord. Hail the Wind Storm. What's the rest of it again?

[Matthew Mercer]

It was Hail the Helm, Lord, Hail the Windstorm. Wecher Blade the Sheep.

[Sam Riegel]

I say it to her. I'm singing with you. It's a beautiful song.

[Matthew Mercer]

Make a persuasion check.

[Sam Riegel]

Okay. 17.

[Matthew Mercer]

She eyes you up and down like a piece of meat for a moment. In a good way. That's an insight chance. Ooh. Uh.

[Sam Riegel]

16.

[Matthew Mercer]

A little from column A, a little from column B. I'm okay with that for some reason. Voice behind her, though. Old man. Big broad man. He's got big belly, but he has massive chest and arms. I don't like it. They don't smell right.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

What are we supposed to spend?

[Laura Bailey]

Like we can bathe in return, right? Oh, rocks.

[Liam O'Brien]

You buck us up here, good sir. We mean you no trouble. We are simply trying to make our way to the northwest. We understand we disturbed your slumber, but if you will allow us to pass and point us in the right direction, no harm will come to you. I promise.

[Matthew Mercer]

Make a persuasion or a deception check. Your choice. Deception 9. She. The woman is slowly while eyeing you, pacing a little bit like a panther with one eye on you. She moves towards the back. And she stands.

[Ashley Johnson]

Everybody wants to walk.

[Matthew Mercer]

You can't fake it in front of a stone slab that you're only just noticing as she walks back. And there is what looks like. It looked like a pile of rags at first, but you can see that she is backing up and standing by a thick, ratty old tome that is banded shut with some sort of strange sculpted metal wrap around it.

[Liam O'Brien]

Careful, Talidor.

[Sam Riegel]

Where is Quill?

[Taliesin Jaffe]

Yeah, I was just about to ask the same thing.

[Matthew Mercer]

Floating behind you all peering out.

[Sam Riegel]

He's thought into our minds before, Right?

[Matthew Mercer]

Yeah.

[Sam Riegel]

I'll just turn to Quill and I'll whisper. Is that what we're after?

[Marisha Ray]

Oh, yes.

[Sam Riegel]

These are those that we're meant to strike a deal with, right?

[Marisha Ray]

You think I just woke up?

[Sam Riegel]

I feel Right you did. I'm asking too much of you.

[Ashley Johnson]

I put one foot behind your butt and just push you forward.

[Matthew Mercer]

Yes, and hold that thought. Where are you guys? Still at the top of the stair like she turned and saw you as you rose up over the face.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

I pictured we were all still just heads.

[Laura Bailey]

Yeah, I probably stepped up to the lip while trying to give the best presentation.

[Liam O'Brien]

And then I feel like I've joined him in that.

[Matthew Mercer]

So you're under arch at the lip of this octagon, yes? Correct.

[Sam Riegel]

I want to move to the left side of it.

[Matthew Mercer]

Inside?

[Sam Riegel]

No, where we are, I'm just going to move away from. I don't want us all huddled in one group, so I'm just going to create some distance between some of us.

[Laura Bailey]

Is there any inclination to their dress or attire that would link them factionally or in any way to the vampiric entities that we saw moving earlier?

[Matthew Mercer]

You can make a history. Check.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

They didn't seem too pleased with Gramor.

[Liam O'Brien]

Yes. Hmm. Seven.

[Matthew Mercer]

Seven.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

Wow.

[Matthew Mercer]

You don't know much about vampires. You don't know where you are. You've never heard they mentioned Greymoor Keep? Never heard of it, no.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

Oh, you vampires.

[Matthew Mercer]

Old man? Just dead eyes you.

[Laura Bailey]

Do you not like vampire?

[Taliesin Jaffe]

Did you. Did you want. Did you have a rival? A rival at a vampire?

[Matthew Mercer]

Why don't you come in and we'll talk about it? Sure.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

I mean, that's.

[Liam O'Brien]

Are you sure? You seem very trusting of him.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

Well, I mean, he said he wanted to talk.

[Sam Riegel]

Well, I know that they were expecting someone, I believe. Right. Syviron. Does that ring a bell?

[Matthew Mercer]

I'm sorry, I just didn't hear.

[Sam Riegel]

Sivaron.

[Matthew Mercer]

You heard the names Zevaron with an X. Oh, I figured it Naravix and Naravix.

[Sam Riegel]

Yeah, I'll just say those names. Were you expecting Zevran and Naravex?

[Matthew Mercer]

They look at each other, then he looks back. Oh, because he has stepped now, I don't know, 10 or 20ft beyond this woman, who you're guessing is his daughter because she said father at the moment you guys arrived.

[Sam Riegel]

And in my mind I am trying to hold onto all the stuff that I had listened to while I was hanging upside down. And I remember the two people that were like, swinging us around and doing all that stuff. And that's when I think I heard Sivron and the name. So I'm trying to recall their names, thinking that these people here were expecting them to make this trade. But it's very possible that I'm calling the wrong names out.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

Well, this is probably Blackreach, right?

[Matthew Mercer]

You're saying that out loud?

[Taliesin Jaffe]

Yes. We are in Blackreach.

[Liam O'Brien]

Yeah.

[Matthew Mercer]

You're in Blackreach?

[Taliesin Jaffe]

Yeah. Then this is. You are definitely who we're looking for. We are looking for.

[Matthew Mercer]

I don't know about that.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

Do you have a rival that's a vampire.

[Matthew Mercer]

He looks up over shoulder. You can't tell it what back at you.

[Laura Bailey]

Slowly Nyska reaches into his pocket and pulls out the vial and holds in his palm and says. We happen to be in the market for a whim wire.

[Matthew Mercer]

Man. I take your inspiration back.

[Sam Riegel]

Oh boy.

[Matthew Mercer]

You suddenly hear at the base of the stairs the sound of wings.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

Uh oh.

[Liam O'Brien]

Here we go.

[Matthew Mercer]

And you look back behind you in the base of the stairs. Now you see a small. I wanted to say. But that means something else. In a fantasy world. A smaller woman with hair. Jet black hair that is somewhere between pixie cut and a Caesar with a cloak and a pauldron on one side. And you can see a blade. A hilt jutting up over one shoulder. Trust your nose. Brynya Zivily. Wouldn't bother working with these cattle. And yet they are here.

[Marisha Ray]

Pal.

[Ashley Johnson]

I've been called worse. Milk drinker. Cattle added to the list.

[Matthew Mercer]

Where are the twins?

[Marisha Ray]

Did you kill them?

[Ashley Johnson]

Yep.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

Twins.

[Ashley Johnson]

They're cat.

[Laura Bailey]

Front to back. Absolutely no match for us and our might.

[Matthew Mercer]

Give me that deception check. Yeah.

[Laura Bailey]

That is 17. We are backed by a guild of the finest mages all across Tamriel. We carry within our midst magic unimaginable. And we've come this far beneath the very surface these lands. To claim what was to be our cause.

[Matthew Mercer]

They were meant to bring me something.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

Yes. We have that.

[Sam Riegel]

We do.

[Matthew Mercer]

Yes.

[Marisha Ray]

Do you?

[Taliesin Jaffe]

Show us the Grimoire first.

[Liam O'Brien]

Grim.

[Matthew Mercer]

Grimoire.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

Wimwa.

[Laura Bailey]

Wimracks. Or the Wimmerwax.

[Sam Riegel]

He's saying it wrong.

[Matthew Mercer]

Right?

[Sam Riegel]

We all know that. Right?

[Ashley Johnson]

I don't. I don't know anything about magic.

[Matthew Mercer]

Fuck off. Show me the delivery.

[Sam Riegel]

Yes. I think it's time to.

[Liam O'Brien]

No.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

Oh. Errol. Sweet.

[Liam O'Brien]

You heard the lady. Show her what you asked for. As he stares at you with Balenciaga.

[Matthew Mercer]

She locks eyes with you.

[Laura Bailey]

Arox.

[Matthew Mercer]

Brynya. Get her now. She in a streak of shadow. Just leaves a trail of darkness behind her. And she is at you in your face. Claw out. She can attack you. Uh oh.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

Look faster.

[Matthew Mercer]

What?

[Taliesin Jaffe]

We have to fight a vampire.

[Liam O'Brien]

We knew this moment would come eventually.

[Matthew Mercer]

She moves unnaturally fast. That is Ya Ya ya. Does a. Where is it? Does a 24 hit. Oh.

[Liam O'Brien]

Yes it does.

[Ashley Johnson]

Oh.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

I feel like we should have given ourself armor of some sort.

[Laura Bailey]

We're fine.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

All right. See? Did you give yourself any armor magically?

[Sam Riegel]

I have all of this activated.

[Matthew Mercer]

So she streaks forward faster than anyone. You've Seen move in a barrage of shadow as she comes right into your face. And her blade is off of her back and she slashes out and you feel the tip of it cut right over the shoulder. And you stumble backwards as she tries to press and go for a second attack. Her arm is moving blindingly fast, but it strikes stone as you stumble backward a few feet. I think we have to roll for initiative now, you guys. I think we have to roll for initiative.

[Sam Riegel]

Oh, my gosh.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

What is this?

[Laura Bailey]

She taking any damage from that attack?

[Matthew Mercer]

Oh, sorry. Yes. 10.

[Liam O'Brien]

Oh, yeah.

[Matthew Mercer]

Mark dun.

[Sam Riegel]

Oh, man.

[Matthew Mercer]

She is a finely crafted long sword.

[Liam O'Brien]

Oh, go away. Whoa. Boom. 10. Yikes. Boom. Yikes.

[Matthew Mercer]

Did anyone get higher than a 20 on the right initiative? Okay, Amiri.

[Liam O'Brien]

Go, Kashi. I'd say it's all you.

[Matthew Mercer]

15 to 20.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

18.

[Liam O'Brien]

15.

[Matthew Mercer]

Okay. Okay. Okay. So that is Prasine and Arox. Okay. Okay. Getting my marching order. All right. Where were we? 10 to 15.

[Liam O'Brien]

10 to 15.

[Laura Bailey]

10 to 15.

[Sam Riegel]

13.

[Laura Bailey]

12.

[Marisha Ray]

Okay.

[Matthew Mercer]

Okay. And you're the. You're the 12. Okay. I'm the cleric. All right. All right. And wow.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

We have to fight a bear, a warrior, and a vampire. A bear, dad.

[Matthew Mercer]

Bear dad.

[Sam Riegel]

Yeah.

[Matthew Mercer]

Okay, so you see this small vampire streak up the stairs towards your traveling companion and cut them. Blood splutters out the scales of Arox's chest and collar arrow and he stumbles backwards. She is pressing the attack on him, but you spring into action. What do you got?

[Ashley Johnson]

That's my Argonian brother. Are you still holding the vial up like this?

[Laura Bailey]

No, no, I'm holding it in my hand closed.

[Ashley Johnson]

Okay. Kind of just want to use it on her.

[Matthew Mercer]

So. And to set the scene, because we're doing theater of the mind here. We're on a stair. She has closed the distance to you. Brynyar and Gerda are 40. 50. They're further back away.

[Ashley Johnson]

They're further back away.

[Matthew Mercer]

Yeah. Within the octagon. And you all are on the edge of it.

[Liam O'Brien]

Right?

[Ashley Johnson]

Okay, I am going to. I'm going to try to do something while her back is turned and she is attacking our Argonian.

[Matthew Mercer]

She is in melee.

[Ashley Johnson]

I am going to. That should give me advantage because she is. So I'm going to sneak attack. And Instead of doing 4D6 sneak damage, I'm going to dispense with one of those die to try to trip her down the stairs.

[Matthew Mercer]

Okay. Okay.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

Oh, nice.

[Ashley Johnson]

So I attack with my daggers. Well, let's see if I'll need the advantage. That is a math. 23.

[Matthew Mercer]

23. And this is remind me, strength or dexterity?

[Ashley Johnson]

This is just the melee hit.

[Matthew Mercer]

Oh, just to hit. Right.

[Ashley Johnson]

Just to hit.

[Matthew Mercer]

Yeah, that hits for sure.

[Ashley Johnson]

That hits. Okay, so then I do 14 piercing damage.

[Matthew Mercer]

All right.

[Ashley Johnson]

And then as part of the trip action, she has to make a DC14 save.

[Matthew Mercer]

Okay.

[Ashley Johnson]

Or take the prone condition and be thrown down the stairs and.

[Matthew Mercer]

Sorry, I'm just blanking. Is it strength or dexterity?

[Ashley Johnson]

Dex.

[Matthew Mercer]

Dex. What do I have to beat 14?

[Ashley Johnson]

Just roll a 14 meets it beats it.

[Matthew Mercer]

But the blade does plunge into her lower back. So there's sneak attack damage on that Juice.

[Ashley Johnson]

That was. Including the sneak attack.

[Matthew Mercer]

Okay. Did you give me a damage total? Yes, you did. I applied it. Okay.

[Ashley Johnson]

I'm going to stab with the offhand to you.

[Matthew Mercer]

Okay.

[Laura Bailey]

Okay, let's go.

[Ashley Johnson]

Which. That's only a 10.

[Matthew Mercer]

10.

[Ashley Johnson]

I do. I'm trying to wonder, do you get advantage. I like how I ask you, do you get advantage on both attacks for on your main hand and your offhand?

[Matthew Mercer]

Just the.

[Ashley Johnson]

Just the main hand, right? Yeah.

[Matthew Mercer]

Okay.

[Ashley Johnson]

So I don't think the 10 hits, but I can bonus action, I believe.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

Yeah.

[Ashley Johnson]

When you make an extra attack of the light property, you make it as part of the attack action instead of as a bonus action.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

Okay, so.

[Ashley Johnson]

So then instead, for my bonus action, I'm going, huh?

[Sam Riegel]

Yeah, that's right.

[Ashley Johnson]

Yeah, that's right. Because the dagger has the nick property. Yeah. So for my bonus action, I'm going to hide.

[Matthew Mercer]

Yeah. Where do you go?

[Ashley Johnson]

Let's say under the bed that the bear was sleeping on.

[Matthew Mercer]

There was no bed that was like 60ft away from you are. And he was just lying on the ground. He just like, what's going on? Okay.

[Ashley Johnson]

In that case, you might get a bedroll or something. It's still. Well, I do have feline agility. When I move on my turn in combat, I can double my speed. So I could dive into the pile of rags he was sleeping in.

[Matthew Mercer]

The pile of rags was the big furry Macklemore coat that he was wearing. That he is wearing. It was him.

[Laura Bailey]

My favorite object is it smells like.

[Matthew Mercer]

Psst. It's canon to Tamriel. Guys.

[Liam O'Brien]

Sorry, Sorry.

[Ashley Johnson]

Is there any place in this octagon that I can see?

[Matthew Mercer]

Well, there are. Yes. Okay, so you're at the edge. You're in this arch trying to protect your friend. You could backtrack and dive off the side of the stairs. That might be tricky because you'll be out of sight and away from the action, but you can absolutely do that. But you could also. How much movement do you have 60ft? 60ft. You can easily pivot around ballet style and get. I had mentioned there are these arches all the way around the inside of this place with big thick statues and they're squat and you could definitely cram in between the side of the monarch and a statue. And just.

[Ashley Johnson]

I'm gonna do that and slide in behind one and try to melt into the shadows.

[Matthew Mercer]

Make that Stealth check, baby.

[Ashley Johnson]

26.

[Matthew Mercer]

26. That Jester's outfit vanishes. Which brings us to. I can't read my own writing. Priscine.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

Yes.

[Matthew Mercer]

What shall you do, dear?

[Taliesin Jaffe]

Yes. I'm going to back away from the vampire and I am going to look over to the. To pop on daughter. That's over there.

[Matthew Mercer]

Yeah.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

And I'm going to. Let me see what I have here. You will just wait. It's going to be horrible. Yes. How far away are they? They're 60ft away from me.

[Matthew Mercer]

Yeah.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

So if I walk, walk 30ft.

[Matthew Mercer]

He's closer. I'm gonna say he's 50ft and she's 65.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

All right, I'll walk up 20ft away. Yes, sure. And I'm going to cast. As a bonus action, I'm going to cast spirit shroud. And all of a sudden little ghost like entities start rising from the ground and flittering around everywhere. And they do stuff high fantasy. You just wait and then they help me and just. Okay, so I'm going to do that and then I'm also going to cast. Hold on. I gotta make sure. Wait, I gotta see how this fucking spell works. Cause I've never done it before. Until spell ends. Any attack you make deals extra damage when you hit a creature within 10ft of you. Can I get within 10ft of old daddy?

[Sam Riegel]

5Ft away?

[Matthew Mercer]

With 30ft and he was 50ft you can get. I say you get like 20ish feet away.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

Fuck.

[Sam Riegel]

Oh my God.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

Well, I said I was doing it so I shouldn't take it back.

[Laura Bailey]

Two more rounds for Laura's slow descent into mystery.

[Matthew Mercer]

Stop firing Laura. It is theater of the mind. If you want to like course correct. Because it is all invisible.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

Okay, okay, okay, okay, okay.

[Matthew Mercer]

Please do then.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

I'm not gonna do that. I'm not gonna do that. I am going to do something else.

[Sam Riegel]

Oh boy.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

I'm going to cast from all these spells that I know so well. I'm going to look at old daddy and I'm going to.

[Matthew Mercer]

Hmm.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

I'm going to hit him. Okay, here's the thing. I'm gonna reach to my little pocket.

[Matthew Mercer]

Yes.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

And pull out a skull. And I'm gonna fling it at him and it's on fire and shit.

[Laura Bailey]

But it's one of the tool tips that's actually in the game.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

It hits him in the head. If it hits him in the head, then I suck. And what I'm really casting is Ray of Sickness. All right, so there you go.

[Matthew Mercer]

How's that work?

[Taliesin Jaffe]

Well, I shoot a greenish ray. See how I feel? Like it's a skull.

[Matthew Mercer]

Yes.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

And on a hit, the target takes damage.

[Matthew Mercer]

All right. Is it an attack roll or a save?

[Taliesin Jaffe]

Oh, yes, I do. It's an attack roll. All right, so I roll. So you just wait. Oh, shit. Fuck me. Running 11. He's very weak and very large.

[Matthew Mercer]

He's right.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

And belly.

[Matthew Mercer]

He sees it coming and just knocks it out of the.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

That was my last skull. Has to get a new skull.

[Marisha Ray]

Alone.

[Matthew Mercer]

We'll have to make you another one.

[Ashley Johnson]

Based off of his voice. Is he a Nord?

[Matthew Mercer]

Looks like one, yeah.

[Ashley Johnson]

They're notoriously hardy guys.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

Oh, really?

[Ashley Johnson]

They're very. I don't know, they're always. They're always telling me they're gonna skin me and turn me into a rug and calling people milk drinkers. And they're just. Yeah, they're very rough and tough. Brawlic.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

Now, I'm very close to him.

[Matthew Mercer]

You say in the shit. Anything left in the gas tank? Aerox, you have just had some blood splattered out of your throat. You are.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

What, a bunch of mages. We're the weakest fucks ever.

[Liam O'Brien]

Yes, I know.

[Matthew Mercer]

I thought it was funny, too.

[Sam Riegel]

I'm innocent, I swear.

[Matthew Mercer]

So fun.

[Liam O'Brien]

So I have a bunch of blood springing out of my throat. And I put my good hand to stop the bleeding. And I look up at this hulk of a human being just staring daggers at me. And in true fashion, just like in the movies, I give him dragon's breath because it is the only thing I can do in my weakened state.

[Matthew Mercer]

Is it a line for Aragonian, since we're in a D and D game?

[Liam O'Brien]

Well, it would be lightning.

[Matthew Mercer]

Yeah.

[Liam O'Brien]

So it would be lightning.

[Matthew Mercer]

And what's the range on that 15 cone?

[Taliesin Jaffe]

It's 100ft, isn't it?

[Matthew Mercer]

Yes.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

A lightning bolt.

[Laura Bailey]

One of this is. Are you doing the breath weapon or breath weapon?

[Taliesin Jaffe]

Oh, got it, got it, got it, got it, got it. That's not.

[Liam O'Brien]

So it'd be 30 foot range. Yeah, 30ft.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

Okay. Sorry. I thought it was like.

[Liam O'Brien]

And I assume that.

[Matthew Mercer]

Well, here's what I would say. You haven't moved anywhere. There is A vampire right on top of you. You can streak towards that big daddy. She might mess with you as you go.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

Or you can attack the vampire.

[Matthew Mercer]

Or you can work on the vampire.

[Liam O'Brien]

Where is Talidor in relation to where I am? You moved left.

[Matthew Mercer]

You're like 15ft apart.

[Liam O'Brien]

Yes, everyone is.

[Matthew Mercer]

Massive archway. It's not like a tiny doorway. It's like 20. 20ft one.

[Laura Bailey]

I think I'm right next to you.

[Matthew Mercer]

Damn.

[Laura Bailey]

Yeah.

[Liam O'Brien]

And I look up to you and said, anytime you want to get involved, that would be really, really helpful.

[Laura Bailey]

I'm very slow at the moment.

[Liam O'Brien]

You first. Is there anything in your copywritten book that helps with this exact situation?

[Matthew Mercer]

Are you belching on anybody in your vicinity? The vampire. Are you running for big dad?

[Taliesin Jaffe]

This is you.

[Liam O'Brien]

That's me. Vampire, vampire.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

That's me. That's daddy bear.

[Laura Bailey]

You could breathe on the vampire, or you could try and head the other direction.

[Liam O'Brien]

Well, I feel like since she took a swipe at me, then I have to give her a taste of her own medicine.

[Matthew Mercer]

Let's go. Oh, go forze it. That's a DC save for her.

[Laura Bailey]

For her, it's a DC 11 dexip. So she has to roll.

[Liam O'Brien]

Okay.

[Matthew Mercer]

And Yep, yep, yep, yep, yep, yep, Yep, yep. It's 11. You said 11. I got a 10. So you catch her full blast. What's the damage on that?

[Laura Bailey]

The breath weapon. At this level, it's 4D. No, it's 3D. Six.

[Liam O'Brien]

3D six. Okay, 3D six.

[Laura Bailey]

So you roll six set of dice here three times and add it together.

[Liam O'Brien]

Together. One, one, one, one. I am just like anime bleeding out.

[Matthew Mercer]

She's got a hand on you as she presses her attack and you vomit electrical power into her and she just takes it and smiles. Any last bit of flavor?

[Liam O'Brien]

Oh, God. Well, hold on.

[Matthew Mercer]

Let's see.

[Liam O'Brien]

I can do an unarmed strike.

[Laura Bailey]

Use your action to breath weapon. So it'd have to be like a bonus action.

[Liam O'Brien]

Yeah.

[Laura Bailey]

Spell or something. Do you have any bonus action spells?

[Liam O'Brien]

Not for. Not for. Wait, no, not this one. Boom. Boom. Boom.

[Matthew Mercer]

Yeah.

[Liam O'Brien]

Thank you. Boom. Expeditious retreat. Dragon's breath.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

Oh, wait. Dragon's breath is a bonus action.

[Laura Bailey]

Dragon's breath, the spell is a bonus action.

[Liam O'Brien]

Dragon's breath, the spell is bonus action.

[Matthew Mercer]

Oh, got it.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

Got it.

[Liam O'Brien]

I see.

[Sam Riegel]

Breath weapon.

[Laura Bailey]

Correct.

[Liam O'Brien]

So I have nothing I can do to her.

[Laura Bailey]

Well, you could cast expeditious retreat as a bonus action, which lets you take the dash. Action. As a bonus action, she will be.

[Matthew Mercer]

Able to hit you away.

[Liam O'Brien]

Ah, sure. Yes. That is what we Will do. So as she has her hand around me and is smiling, my tail comes from behind me, smacks her hand away and I fly back 10ft. How far can I go back?

[Laura Bailey]

Wait, you can go back. Basically you take the dash action as a bonus action. She might still get a swipe at you.

[Liam O'Brien]

Yeah, she still might get us when you got me.

[Matthew Mercer]

So it's not part of the replacement verbiage of the spell that it avoids lack of opportunity.

[Laura Bailey]

If it's safe, you could just stay put and hope we can back you up.

[Sam Riegel]

Up to you.

[Liam O'Brien]

Yeah. Then I'm just gonna have to stay put. And hopefully there's something in your copywritten book that I got em.

[Laura Bailey]

I got plans.

[Liam O'Brien]

Attack situation, baby.

[Matthew Mercer]

Okay, Priscine, you ran forward to try to baseball skull the old man in the head. He bats it out of the way and you watch him go like who knew. And his back breaks, widens out and white fur shrugs off his brown coat as white hair starts to sprout all over his body. The face elongates out into a lupine snout. Daddy.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

He's daddy.

[Matthew Mercer]

And he howls and lopes towards you. And it's his action to do what he just did. So he charges up to you and just drools and breathes hot Nordic breath all down on your petite ultima form. And that's the end of his turn. Which gets us to Kalidor. Yeah.

[Sam Riegel]

Get after an hour on the Nordic question. Based on what I know in this world, I know that she's a vampire. Am I interpreting this as a shape.

[Matthew Mercer]

Shifting druid or a werewolf or make an arcana check.

[Sam Riegel]

Okay.

[Matthew Mercer]

Oh high sweet child.

[Sam Riegel]

Eight.

[Matthew Mercer]

No. I mean no.

[Sam Riegel]

It's bad.

[Matthew Mercer]

You're a mage. You're part of the mage's guild.

[Sam Riegel]

I don't know.

[Matthew Mercer]

Chump. You have seen.

[Sam Riegel]

I don't take notes like him.

[Matthew Mercer]

Transform themselves into different creatures and animals. And it has a different. It has a totally different vibe. This guy started to grow and sprout. Whereas it's really more of a presto changeo magic trick. The times you've seen it happen otherwise.

[Sam Riegel]

Okay, okay. That doesn't tell. Well, I'm for you. Thank you. I'm going to. With my bonus action, I'm going to activate innate sorcery. And that gives me a plus one to spell save DCs and to spell attacks. And it makes my spell attacks have advantage for the next minute. I don't know what's going on. If I'm interpreting that and I see a vampire. I mean I don't know if I'm expecting these two parties to be working together, so I'm not going to choose a side. I'm going to attack two of them. I'm going to okay with my action. I'm going to twin spell witch bolt and I'm going to attack him. Is he within I Can I get in position where he's within 60ft of me?

[Matthew Mercer]

You are in within. He has now come within that range, running up to prose and the.

[Sam Riegel]

And our vampire is not far from me, about 20ft away.

[Matthew Mercer]

10Ft away from me.

[Sam Riegel]

10Ft away from me.

[Matthew Mercer]

Ten to 15ft away.

[Sam Riegel]

I'm going to move back so I'm towards the wall, and I'm going to get as much distance away from either of them, but keep them both within 60ft of me. I'm a twin spelling witch bolt. A streak of lightning launches out from me to the vampire and from me to Big Daddy Wolf.

[Matthew Mercer]

Yes, Breton, let's go.

[Sam Riegel]

And it is going to be. Let's just go to spells.

[Ashley Johnson]

Go, Breton, go, Breton, go.

[Sam Riegel]

So do I roll two separate attacks, one for each of them, or is it one attack?

[Matthew Mercer]

It's one for each of them.

[Sam Riegel]

One for each of them. Separate one for each of them. Got it. So for the big daddy wolf.

[Matthew Mercer]

Oh, my gosh.

[Sam Riegel]

That is going to be 12 to hit.

[Matthew Mercer]

12. It just. Just soars over his head. You are so stressed. So pushed by the situation. And there is a killer right here, right next to you. So you just lost your focus.

[Sam Riegel]

And then a separate attack for her, right?

[Matthew Mercer]

Yeah.

[Sam Riegel]

Oh, that's better. That is a 24 to hit.

[Matthew Mercer]

She sees it coming and she starts to shunt out of the way. But you. You catch her before she can move.

[Sam Riegel]

Oh, right. She is going to take 18 points of lightning damage. And there's a chain of lightning linking me with each of them still. And that's my turn. Bonus action. Action move.

[Matthew Mercer]

Right, so they're. Well, so the one that went still there wide is on what though? Stone.

[Sam Riegel]

The one that went wide. Whether it hits, whether it misses on each of my subsequent turns, I can still use a bonus action to deal 1d12 lightning damage to the target automatically, even if the first attack missed.

[Matthew Mercer]

Okay, so you're just.

[Sam Riegel]

They're both linked.

[Matthew Mercer]

Crackling energy happening. Okay. Okay.

[Ashley Johnson]

Good use of the action economy.

[Matthew Mercer]

Yes. In this economy, the watchling quill you hear in your heads, we must get to the Grimorix. And she starts wobbling between legs and moving through into harm's way. Steering a bit to the right to avoid Your little situation. And doesn't make it that far. Makes it about 40ft. No, more like 60ft. They're about halfway to their destination where Gerda, Arctic punk Mullet is standing with a spear by the book. Oh no.

[Ashley Johnson]

Can she see little Quill?

[Matthew Mercer]

Yeah.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

Oh no.

[Ashley Johnson]

I'm gonna be honest. I can't tell what I'm seeing. Everyone else is seeing it, so I just gotta.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

Does Quill even hear?

[Ashley Johnson]

I gotta add.

[Matthew Mercer]

Cause this.

[Ashley Johnson]

The things I see.

[Matthew Mercer]

Is Tamriel even real? Niskan, you're up. It is. It's very real. It's lush and storied. We love it.

[Laura Bailey]

Okay, between Big Wolf daddy and little vampire assassin, which of them immediately seems the biggest threat? At a glance.

[Matthew Mercer]

At a glance. Jeez, you've got. Got a big dad bod. Arctic werewolf who just is up from a nap. And a vampire. Like a vampire assassin feels right. She has taken a few hits in rapid succession. I'm gonna make a judgment call here and say that none of you have ever tangled with a vampire.

[Sam Riegel]

No.

[Laura Bailey]

But that grimoire is quite important. You got this, Fred.

[Matthew Mercer]

Oh my God.

[Laura Bailey]

Misty step 30ft towards where the grimoire is.

[Matthew Mercer]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Laura Bailey]

And then use my movement to move the other 30ft. You said it was about 60ft back.

[Matthew Mercer]

Yes, yes. Yeah, that's. So you're saying you move forward 30ft?

[Laura Bailey]

Yes.

[Matthew Mercer]

You misty step 30 and then you're running 30ft to try and get to the Gramorix. I think you're like. I mean, this is all fudgy. You're like 15 or 20ft away from it. And there is a woman with a spear between you and it. And there is. Now the watchling is kind of on your 4:00. Ish. 5:00.

[Laura Bailey]

Great. Then I glance over my shoulder towards Quill and be like, do not worry, Hermeus Mora guides us this time. And I look over towards the woman with the spear and pull forth my own smaller tome. But don't judge. It's how you read it. And as the green runic text begins to glow, we are to take what belongs to us. Using my action, I'm going to go ahead and pull forth my arcanist powers to draw all the magic from within. The tome at my side begin to cause these various runes to swirl around my forearms, come into my fingers and release two blasts of rune blades in an eldritch blast type form. As they fire out towards this female.

[Matthew Mercer]

Warrior, everybody hears Quill's voice in their head.

[Marisha Ray]

We love that for you.

[Laura Bailey]

Oh yeah. Natural one out of the gate.

[Sam Riegel]

Did you really take. Did you take a ways in person?

[Matthew Mercer]

I did. No. Dang.

[Laura Bailey]

I earned it. That's better, though. Cause that's a natural two.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

What?

[Ashley Johnson]

It's not about the size of your grimoire. It's how you roam with your tome.

[Laura Bailey]

That's true.

[Matthew Mercer]

I love it.

[Laura Bailey]

I love it. So, natural one and then a nine.

[Matthew Mercer]

A nine. Okay.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

Would you like another dice?

[Matthew Mercer]

Huh?

[Sam Riegel]

We're rolling very forward.

[Matthew Mercer]

She spins her spear in her hand and shoves it into the ground for a second and.

[Laura Bailey]

But you were impressed, right?

[Matthew Mercer]

And she howls.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

She's also a fucking werewolf.

[Matthew Mercer]

Howls into the air.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

Oh, no.

[Laura Bailey]

That's what it is.

[Matthew Mercer]

But she stays put and grabs the spear up again. So she is in full hybrid wolven form, but is brandishing a spiritu and just sort of in that street fighter position of waiting. Which gets us to Bloodletter Schwarazia.

[Sam Riegel]

Lovely.

[Ashley Johnson]

When someone's name is bloodletter.

[Sam Riegel]

Yes.

[Matthew Mercer]

She's right on top of you. Everyone who's close sees her wounds start to. Her flesh becomes pale and the wounds start to close. Not entirely, but a little bit. She comes back a bit from your work on her. She will. You're there. Don't know where you are. You're busy. You're gone. You're nearby.

[Sam Riegel]

30Ft away, away from them.

[Matthew Mercer]

She's going to press the attack.

[Ashley Johnson]

Oh, no.

[Matthew Mercer]

Here's what she's going to do. She, Sherazia, is going to try to grab you. Yes.

[Sam Riegel]

Yes. Natural one.

[Matthew Mercer]

It's a natural one. Yes.

[Sam Riegel]

She dies.

[Matthew Mercer]

Wow. All of us.

[Laura Bailey]

Until the rules go.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

Yeah.

[Laura Bailey]

Right.

[Sam Riegel]

Follow the rules.

[Matthew Mercer]

She falls on her own.

[Sam Riegel]

She falls in love with us and fights the werewolves.

[Matthew Mercer]

But she.

[Liam O'Brien]

That's on top of me.

[Matthew Mercer]

So she reaches out to grab you, but you are still stumbling back from her, very wounded. But she is rapid. She is moving like a shadow in the wind. And she tries again. And this time it is a. Where'd it go? 21.

[Laura Bailey]

That's not gonna help.

[Liam O'Brien]

Yikes. Well. Well, shit.

[Laura Bailey]

Sometimes a vampire lady just kicks your ass.

[Liam O'Brien]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Matthew Mercer]

So instead of doing any damage to you, though, she just grabs you. And her little hand is like a vise. It is like steel, actually. Your neck is probably too much. So she grabs you by the wrist and pulls you. She is so strong. Pulls you in close to her, and then she lunges out with her mouth going towards that wound. But her small size, you managed to resist and push back. And she is like a little piranha. At you. And you're holding her at arm's base. She did not roll high enough to sink her teeth into you. That's where we are with Bloodletter Scherazia. That brings us back to Amerie. Hiding between a statue and an archway.

[Laura Bailey]

Okay, it's all on you.

[Ashley Johnson]

All right. I am going to run bonus action mage hand, which is part of my legerdement. And you see a cat claw just kind of go appear near the grimoire behind the werewolf. It is invisible to everyone except me. And I've decided, my friends, I can make sleight of hand checks through my mage hand. Can I try to manipulate the metal structure keeping the grimoire in place?

[Matthew Mercer]

You're able to get there.

[Ashley Johnson]

My hand. I cast my mage hand.

[Matthew Mercer]

You can certainly try.

[Sam Riegel]

Yes. Sounds very encouraging.

[Liam O'Brien]

Let's go.

[Laura Bailey]

Roll high.

[Ashley Johnson]

Would this be sleight of hand?

[Matthew Mercer]

You're trying to open it? Yeah, from.

[Ashley Johnson]

Cause I when it'll be a very high desert. There was like a metal structure around.

[Matthew Mercer]

Is a dirty old book. It is not like, clean and pristine. It looks like ratty pages bound together. And there is some sort of metal webbing around it. So it doesn't look like. Oh, there's like a little clasp, a lock. There is something. It looks metallic. You'd think, but it's filthy wrapped around it.

[Ashley Johnson]

Do we think I could open that?

[Taliesin Jaffe]

You try. You could try. Maybe you'll roll a 20.

[Matthew Mercer]

Let's go.

[Sam Riegel]

Yeah, let's go.

[Matthew Mercer]

The lowest.

[Ashley Johnson]

I've rolled 10.

[Matthew Mercer]

10.

[Laura Bailey]

That's nice.

[Matthew Mercer]

Niskan, you are facing down this younger, leaner werewolf in front of you.

[Laura Bailey]

I see this cat paw afloat. I'm like.

[Matthew Mercer]

You see the tome go.

[Laura Bailey]

Anytime now.

[Ashley Johnson]

And the complex struggles. And then it's like.

[Matthew Mercer]

Inspiration.

[Marisha Ray]

Inspiration.

[Ashley Johnson]

That's my bonus action. For my action, I'm going to try to help clear the way for Niskan. I knock an arrow in my bow and I'm going to take careful aim. And I'm going to try to aim for the Achilles heel and knock prone the werewolf in front of you. I have advantage on this because I am not moving this turn. And you're not adjacent. But that's okay because she doesn't see me. So I'm attacking from stealth Anyway.

[Matthew Mercer]

That's right.

[Ashley Johnson]

A19.

[Matthew Mercer]

Oh, yeah.

[Ashley Johnson]

That hits.

[Matthew Mercer]

Oh, yeah.

[Ashley Johnson]

Perfect. So I do lovely math. I do 10 plus 3 13.

[Matthew Mercer]

This is bow and arrow, right?

[Ashley Johnson]

Yes. So I do 19 damage and then to trip. It's the same dexterity saving throw or she suffers the prone condition.

[Matthew Mercer]

Okay. I rolled a 12.

[Ashley Johnson]

You have to beat a 14.

[Matthew Mercer]

So she arrow streaks out across this open space, slams into her lower leg at the Achilles, blood bursts on her filthy white fur and she goes voop. Takes air and slams down on her shoulder. Let's see, I rolled a one. Her spear flies out of her head and clatters 15ft away, beyond the book even.

[Ashley Johnson]

I lean out from behind the pillar.

[Matthew Mercer]

And I go, that you? And I'm like, fuck.

[Ashley Johnson]

And the claw is now beckoning you.

[Laura Bailey]

I know.

[Matthew Mercer]

Anything else, Amiri? That's my turn. Okay, well, I'm glad that was your turn, because as you just like Rambo, right, got a werewolf from 60ft away and then pulled back in a bit to wedge between the stairs and the arch. And it's then that a little bit of stone and grit hits you in the face as the statue you're next to.

[Ashley Johnson]

No. What?

[Matthew Mercer]

Begins to break and crumble. And you see a clawed furred hand go, no, no, no.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

That's why she was howling.

[Matthew Mercer]

Yes. And in fact, every statue ringing the entire octagon begins to break open as woven faces push out. Somewhere between 25 and 35 are crawling out of these things. Okay, okay. They shed off the stone that's around them and yeah, fuck it, they can still move. They all begin to tumble into the space. And you are watching a small ocean of. Of wolves come. You've got one right on you. It turns instantly.

[Ashley Johnson]

I take his nose to make sure it's real.

[Matthew Mercer]

God. Instantly, all of you have two to three werewolves lunging in your space. In your face.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

I'm in the middle of the.

[Matthew Mercer]

I'm going to tell you something. Sometimes a. A dungeon master will put something really challenging in front of you and be like, you can't do this. And you're like, bet. Oh, this is suicide.

[Sam Riegel]

Yes.

[Matthew Mercer]

You are fucking dead.

[Sam Riegel]

Understood.

[Matthew Mercer]

Proceed. You're up.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

Evidence. I'm right in front of Daddy Wolf.

[Matthew Mercer]

Daddy wolf. And now two more.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

How'd you get here so fast? Silly, silly wolves. And I'm going to Misty step towards the grimoire.

[Matthew Mercer]

Excellent.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

Yes.

[Matthew Mercer]

So you appear. She is suddenly in your sight, standing behind the book. You guys are face to face with the book between you.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

Yes. Open. Can I try to open it?

[Matthew Mercer]

You just physically try to open it up.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

Well, wait, no, I know he knocked it before full the.

[Matthew Mercer]

There was a knock on Mora's veil, which was the brass cylinder that held this one. This is something else. Oh, so you. So you're thinking this.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

I want to say, well, no. Yes, but I don't have that spell. So I need to try to open it.

[Ashley Johnson]

But you're the mage's. You just see a cat paw knocking on it.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

I have different kinds of spells. Can I look at it and with my arcana knowledge, figure out how I'm.

[Matthew Mercer]

Supposed to get make an arcana check.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

Okay. Okay. 14.

[Matthew Mercer]

This is a strange kind of enchantment that you have never experienced in your life. Never come across anything like it. I will remind you that you heard Quill talk about being paired to this thing, right?

[Taliesin Jaffe]

So Quill.

[Matthew Mercer]

Quill is like 40 or 50ft away at the moment.

[Sam Riegel]

Oh come on.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

I thought Quill's right here. Quill get here.

[Matthew Mercer]

Come here.

[Ashley Johnson]

Come here.

[Matthew Mercer]

What's Quill? Quill is on the same page and.

[Marisha Ray]

Says get to the book. We must away.

[Laura Bailey]

We're trying.

[Liam O'Brien]

We're a little tied up over here.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

I thought maybe if just one of us got here and Quill got here. But I thought Quill was here. Whoops.

[Matthew Mercer]

Great. Arrox, you're up.

[Liam O'Brien]

Am I still fighting this sort of piranha. Little mini.

[Matthew Mercer]

She is right in your face pushing and you're feeling like this pressure at you and there's. I say you are one of the furthest back there is a werewolf that is right with her now.

[Liam O'Brien]

Right. So now I'm oppressed.

[Matthew Mercer]

You're oppressed.

[Liam O'Brien]

Oh good.

[Matthew Mercer]

And your friends with the book are somewhere in your life, you know, 60 to 70ft away from you right now.

[Laura Bailey]

So there is a spot.

[Liam O'Brien]

Why am I. Why was it say the spell does push through the way I was gonna. That's what actually what I was thinking of.

[Laura Bailey]

No, no, no. I'm fine.

[Sam Riegel]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Liam O'Brien]

You ran away.

[Laura Bailey]

I'm surviving this.

[Sam Riegel]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Liam O'Brien]

I'm a little. I'm a little messed up right now. So. Okay. So the. I'm. I'm. I'm pushing this. This creature a way of trying my best to not become what seemingly is a vampire. Oh wait.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

Sorry. I didn't do anything. I didn't do anything. Can I pick up the Grimoire at least? Sure. Can I pick it up?

[Matthew Mercer]

Because it was a bonus action to get there.

[Liam O'Brien]

Right?

[Taliesin Jaffe]

Yeah. Can I pick it up?

[Matthew Mercer]

Absolutely. That would be helpful.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

I haven't actually walked anywhere.

[Matthew Mercer]

Great.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

I'm going to walk towards Quill.

[Matthew Mercer]

Excellent.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

I'm going to run towards Quill.

[Matthew Mercer]

Run towards Quill. Great. You close the distance. Yes. And Quill clings to you like a child to a parent's leg at this moment. And the eye and all the little sub eyes that are peppered all over its body. Begin looking towards the rest of the party.

[Marisha Ray]

Hurry up already.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

Oh, we all have to be here. Everybody love you.

[Sam Riegel]

Oh, boy.

[Liam O'Brien]

Oh, dear. Well, teleport works.

[Matthew Mercer]

Huh? You know how teleport works?

[Taliesin Jaffe]

I didn't know that's what the spell was.

[Matthew Mercer]

Okay, Aerox.

[Liam O'Brien]

So in me trying to push against this creature which is seemingly trying to turn me into a vampire because it is so small and so tiny, but yet ferocious and mighty, I'm going to.

[Marisha Ray]

Scoop the brain out of your skull.

[Liam O'Brien]

That doesn't sound fun. I was going to cast Lightning Wave. And in the sense of perhaps trying to at least try to pause this thing from trying to bite me, I use one finger and I just zap her right in the eye.

[Matthew Mercer]

Mechanically, we're using which spell now?

[Laura Bailey]

This is Thunder Wave.

[Matthew Mercer]

Thunder Wave. Oh, yes.

[Liam O'Brien]

Thunder wave.

[Matthew Mercer]

Yes.

[Laura Bailey]

So for that, it's like saving throws where he has to roll.

[Liam O'Brien]

Gotcha.

[Matthew Mercer]

Constitution.

[Liam O'Brien]

Constitution. Mm.

[Matthew Mercer]

What do I have to beat?

[Liam O'Brien]

14.

[Matthew Mercer]

It is a 14.

[Liam O'Brien]

No.

[Sam Riegel]

Can I assist my sorcerer buddy with something that he's not aware of that he might be able to use?

[Matthew Mercer]

Let's hear it.

[Sam Riegel]

You might be able to use a bonus action to activate your innate sorcery, which would increase your spell save DC by one, and therefore make this work.

[Matthew Mercer]

Oh, you're just giving a tip to a newer player. Yes, absolutely.

[Liam O'Brien]

So we go boom.

[Laura Bailey]

Under features and traits.

[Liam O'Brien]

Shit. Hold on.

[Matthew Mercer]

Features and traits.

[Liam O'Brien]

Features and traits.

[Laura Bailey]

Sorcery. You can make a boss actually unleash three magic. Say you can spend one of those.

[Liam O'Brien]

Oh, shit.

[Sam Riegel]

And now your spell state, you see.

[Matthew Mercer]

Is 15, which beats.

[Laura Bailey]

Yes, a few veils.

[Matthew Mercer]

Teamwork makes the dream work.

[Liam O'Brien]

Fuck you, vampire.

[Matthew Mercer]

So I know she gets knocked back, which. Which is very helpful. And it's Coney. Right? See, I'm remembering it's a roll for the Werewolf.

[Laura Bailey]

Yeah, it's 2,800 damage to you.

[Matthew Mercer]

Werewolf got rolled a four. So they will both go flying backward from you.

[Liam O'Brien]

Five.

[Matthew Mercer]

Five. Okay. She gets blasted off of you and hits. She hits the stone. She hits the side of the arch. And she is now 10ft away from you. The werewolf goes in another direction entirely. You still have werewolves that are 15 or 20. You've got an obstacle course of wolves, but there is nothing right on top of you. That's your action. You want to start moving?

[Liam O'Brien]

Yes. I have to get the fuck out of here.

[Sam Riegel]

I might call out to my friend. How far away are we from where they are?

[Matthew Mercer]

I would say that you're. The trigonometry would put you like 50ft away.

[Liam O'Brien]

You're still far away.

[Sam Riegel]

Yeah, you're about 50ft away from them as well. Cause we're like parallel.

[Liam O'Brien]

Cause I'm talking about the landing of where we first came in.

[Sam Riegel]

I look at you and I say, come to me.

[Liam O'Brien]

And so in the action of coming to you, I. Because I'm still pretty messed up, right? Because she got me earlier with the sword, so I'm bleeding.

[Matthew Mercer]

You still have life and will in you, though.

[Liam O'Brien]

When Anne hath a will, Anne hath a way. So can I crawl my almost lifeless corpse to him? Because you're just.

[Matthew Mercer]

You're doing better than Anne. You're doing both better than I. You say, yeah, yeah.

[Liam O'Brien]

You're.

[Laura Bailey]

We still got like 27 out of 37.

[Liam O'Brien]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. So in the spirit of trying to close the distance, I slap my tail on the ground and almost in like the speed bars on like a missile. I cross the room and I land towards you. But I stumble and I don't exactly fall over, but I am a little wounded.

[Sam Riegel]

Okay. Stumbling into your heart. You look very wounded. I'm like, got me good.

[Matthew Mercer]

Gee.

[Sam Riegel]

I got two lightning that I'm trying to maintain. Okay. I don't know if it's my turn yet.

[Matthew Mercer]

It's not. It's not. It almost is. Oh, yeah.

[Laura Bailey]

I'm last.

[Matthew Mercer]

Oh. Oh, yeah.

[Ashley Johnson]

Oh, you're last.

[Sam Riegel]

Yeah. You're after me. Oh, okay.

[Laura Bailey]

Sorry.

[Sam Riegel]

That's okay.

[Matthew Mercer]

Big daddy Brynyar wolf head lurches around and locks eyes. Eyes on the little elf with her hands on the goods and lopes towards you and gets there. Ah, ah, ah, ah.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

Oh, no.

[Matthew Mercer]

And just starts throwing claws. Going to try to tear you up. That is a 17 to hit shield.

[Liam O'Brien]

Yes.

[Matthew Mercer]

Woo. And the second is a four.

[Sam Riegel]

Yay.

[Matthew Mercer]

So you've got the book in one hand and you're just one hand maging. Keeping it back.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

Yes. Oh, it's like bone armor. All of a sudden this armor comes over me that looks like bones.

[Laura Bailey]

What was that again?

[Liam O'Brien]

She said the word.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

Same bone arm.

[Matthew Mercer]

Okay, so he's got all those spit. Shoelaces are coming out of his mouth and that is dripping down on top of you. Pissed at your bone. Now we come to Taldor.

[Sam Riegel]

Okay, first I'm going to these streaks of lightning. I'm going to wave my hands and they're going to have this pulse that goes along their lightning, that thread. And I do D12 of damage to each of those to the vampire and big daddy wolf. She takes eight. He takes seven points of lightning damage. And then I'M running right to you, Arex. And I put my hand on you. And I'm casting Dimension Door and I'm zapping us right to where the Grimoire is.

[Matthew Mercer]

Incredible. Okay, so you're in place. Quill hovers up off of you from its little huggy pose and looks around and is trying to find all the lost chickadees. And the eye fixes on you. The runes on Quill start to glow and pulse, but she just waits there. That gets us to you. Am I reading? No. No, it doesn't. No. Niskan. That gets us. Niskan. I do a thing. I gotta write this. Get over here, please.

[Laura Bailey]

I'm like, grab my robe and quickly run over the last 10ft to get over where you are. But right as I'm rushing over is when the big wolf daddy Brynjarr Brynyar leaps in and starts striking towards you. And I'm like, hassle Kudom. Hey, wolf boy, eyes up here. And I'm going to go ahead and bonus action. Go ahead and use. Let's see here. I'm going to use my awakened mind Clairvoyant Combatant. Well, first, I'm going to go ahead and try and form a bond with him directly. I'm going to say this psychically drawing in the arcanist power that is borrowed from Apocrypha and beyond to make that telepathic bond with him. And then in his mind, try and draw his attention towards me using Clairvoyant Combatant. So he needs to make a wisdom saving throw. DC 15.

[Matthew Mercer]

Okay. No, that is zero. That's an eight.

[Laura Bailey]

That's an eight. So now he has disadvantage on attack rolls against me.

[Matthew Mercer]

Okay.

[Laura Bailey]

And I have advantage on attack rolls against him for as long as I hold the spawn.

[Matthew Mercer]

Okay.

[Laura Bailey]

So that's the bonus action. And that's more for measure. I'm going to go all in on this because it seems this is gonna be a bad otherwise.

[Matthew Mercer]

Yes, it is.

[Laura Bailey]

This point I hold my toe, I'm like fiddle through the pages nervously. That's the one. Energy pouring out of the eyes. Black and green bits of space bending around his shoulders and his face. You watch the energy glow off of Quill as well in proximity. As you watch, black tendrils almost seem to curl out of the pages. The foot of all cast. I'm going to go ahead and drop.

[Matthew Mercer]

I'm also giving you your inspiration back for that comedic timing.

[Laura Bailey]

To cast Fate Carver against him, which is a blight like spell against the target. So I need him to make a constitution saving Throw, please.

[Matthew Mercer]

This is against Brynior again.

[Laura Bailey]

Correct.

[Matthew Mercer]

He rocks it. He gets a 21. 21.

[Laura Bailey]

Okay, well he still takes half damage.

[Matthew Mercer]

Okay, half damage.

[Laura Bailey]

Okay, 19.

[Matthew Mercer]

Don't kill the party. Don't kill.

[Laura Bailey]

21 points of damage.

[Matthew Mercer]

21 points.

[Laura Bailey]

I didn't roll the full 84. I just rolled 48.

[Matthew Mercer]

Okay, cool. It is a. How does that strike him again? Give me the.

[Laura Bailey]

Yeah, sorry. So for this one, the fake cover a. You watch as these. These odd runic elements seem to pour out of the strange vacuous tears in space around him. As they begin to gather in the front of him. This swirling of a pulsing cylinder of odd glyphs and sigils. Then he wraps his hand around it, holds it forward and then hammers it into him like a massive beam of strange esoteric power.

[Matthew Mercer]

His fur blackens. Chars and viscera spews out of an actual breach in his exterior. He howls in pain. Do you have any last little bitties?

[Ashley Johnson]

No.

[Matthew Mercer]

That's it. That's pretty good. That's pretty good. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Gerda, the other werewolf stands. Pushes herself to standing. Looks around and takes. Just goes apeshit and takes one swipe at you. Because you're close.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

Am I?

[Matthew Mercer]

I think so.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

Because I ran towards Quill. Where was quill? Quill was 30ft away from Gerda who was right in front of the grimoire.

[Matthew Mercer]

Oh yes. Gerda was left. Aye. Yes. Okay, okay, okay, okay, okay.

[Laura Bailey]

Not a pro. Which takes half movement to stand.

[Ashley Johnson]

She herniated her disc when I.

[Sam Riegel]

She didn't stretch this morning.

[Matthew Mercer]

Got it. That type of fall, you gotta do yoga. You gotta do it. Okay. So instead. So she pushes herself up in the same way. She looks. You see the wolfenface look towards the spear. But then just forget it. And begins to lope towards you guys. But doesn't. It doesn't get there. That gets us to bloodletter Schwarazia.

[Sam Riegel]

She's still alive. Is she currently within 60ft of me. I've moved towards the Grimoire.

[Matthew Mercer]

Yeah, you're at the Grimoire.

[Sam Riegel]

Yeah, I'm at the Grimoire with the rest we dimension door there?

[Matthew Mercer]

No, I think not. Because got some distance from that. Blasting her back off of Aerox. And then you guys move. So I think that's just out of that range.

[Sam Riegel]

Then that connected lightning chord between us dissipates and she's no longer under that effect.

[Matthew Mercer]

Okay, okay, okay. She erupts in shadow and streaks across the entire space. And she is there. She is on top of you. She will her Blade flashes out quicker than anything towards you. Okay, that is a 19 to hit shield. Shield.

[Sam Riegel]

That force field around me just pulses and repels it.

[Matthew Mercer]

That course corrects her, and sword spins and she flashes it. And you see as the blade comes down on Quill.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

The baby.

[Sam Riegel]

What do I have I don't have?

[Taliesin Jaffe]

Don't you do it, you vampire.

[Sam Riegel]

Playing something that would do something in this moment.

[Ashley Johnson]

Are you feeling the paladin?

[Sam Riegel]

I'm getting, like, fighter interception.

[Matthew Mercer]

The blade cuts and strikes at the base of one of Quill's tentacles, and it comes almost completely off, you see, as it flaps and hangs lamely and quill sinks 2ft down close to the ground. You hear an unintelligible alien warbling in all of your minds at that moment that gets us to you, Emeri.

[Liam O'Brien]

Yes.

[Ashley Johnson]

Okay. I was just gonna use my shadow cloak and hide, but at this point, I'm gonna risk an AWP attack from the wolf because this person has made Emerri very, very angry.

[Matthew Mercer]

And just to be clear, you're still.

[Ashley Johnson]

I'm behind the pillar.

[Matthew Mercer]

Behind the pillar. You're about 50 or 60ft away from your friends.

[Ashley Johnson]

Because I didn't move last turn. I can move 60ft again.

[Matthew Mercer]

Amazing. Amazing. Okay, so your end goal is to get there. Just so I understand where we're okay.

[Ashley Johnson]

Yes. But I'm gonna do something before I get there. Okay.

[Liam O'Brien]

Yeah.

[Ashley Johnson]

Now, I know there's a wolf in front of my face, so I'll probably take an AWP attack from this. But I have confidence in my abilities, so we do, too. I use my bonus action to move my mage hand over to Niskan, toss the vial in the air, and as it does, I knock another bow or arrow back into my bow and try to shoot through it and hit Shirazia.

[Laura Bailey]

Wow.

[Matthew Mercer]

Do you still have your inspiration?

[Ashley Johnson]

I do.

[Matthew Mercer]

Yes.

[Laura Bailey]

That's what it's about.

[Sam Riegel]

I do.

[Matthew Mercer]

Let's go.

[Sam Riegel]

Wow.

[Matthew Mercer]

Let's fucking go. I have a number in my head. You're hitting a glass vial.

[Ashley Johnson]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. And I'm trying to do a little trick. Okay.

[Matthew Mercer]

Shot.

[Ashley Johnson]

It's cocked. That's cocked.

[Sam Riegel]

No, no, you know the. Well, yeah, that's cocked on top. Nah, that's cocked.

[Matthew Mercer]

Yep.

[Ashley Johnson]

No.

[Sam Riegel]

Yeah, that don't count.

[Ashley Johnson]

Okay, okay, okay. That is 19.

[Matthew Mercer]

19. Did you use your inspiration?

[Ashley Johnson]

Yes.

[Matthew Mercer]

Okay. And where the vial is?

[Laura Bailey]

The vial I had on me the whole time.

[Matthew Mercer]

Right. So you're trying to strike it.

[Ashley Johnson]

So I bonus actioned mage hand had it. Toss it up. And I'm trying to strike it mid Air. And hit her as I strike it, as I light it. It's a trick shot.

[Matthew Mercer]

I cannot say no.

[Sam Riegel]

Yeah.

[Matthew Mercer]

The vial shatters in the air, and she. The bloodletter is there. The fluid splatters and hits her face and arm. And she immediately starts to shriek and glad blow gold. Where the fluid hits. And I have a sheet for this, so I gotta do what it is.

[Laura Bailey]

Ooh.

[Liam O'Brien]

It worked.

[Matthew Mercer]

Awesome.

[Ashley Johnson]

I didn't think it was going to.

[Sam Riegel]

When did you need June's bridge now to do this? Oh.

[Matthew Mercer]

Oh.

[Sam Riegel]

Oh. It was like an automatic cost of that.

[Matthew Mercer]

It's too many dice. It's too many dice. I gotta use a dice roller.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

Whoa.

[Ashley Johnson]

It's too many dice.

[Sam Riegel]

Can we hear it? You know I'm good. It has that effect.

[Matthew Mercer]

It's too much. It's too much. Oh. Here.

[Sam Riegel]

I just wanted that. You didn't have to count it. I just wanted the sound.

[Matthew Mercer]

Oh, gosh. Oh, gosh. Oh, gosh. Okay. So it is. Well, it's 4D12 poison damage, which she does take. So that is.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

She takes poison damage.

[Matthew Mercer]

Vampires do take poison damage. Shit. But it's 10D12 radiant damage.

[Sam Riegel]

Wow.

[Matthew Mercer]

For 59. It splatters her body, and it takes a split second before it registers. And then it immediately starts sinking into her face, which starts to implode. Cave in. You can see the inside of her brain, her skull, as that erodes. Erodes, erodes. The whole body starts to crumple over. And in about five and a half seconds, there is a pile of smoking clothes on the ground and dust going. Bloodletter is no more.

[Liam O'Brien]

Yes.

[Ashley Johnson]

As the dust settles with a preternatural feed. Ameri is just there, like as the dust falls. I'm just there.

[Matthew Mercer]

Fast as a vampire. Emerrie is there as soon as you get there. Quill, who is shaking and the runes are flaring in strange ways. Who has been holding their action, rises up into the air, and you all can feel yourself getting lifted off the ground a couple of inches. Okay, we're going. But it feels wrong. You hear a cry again, alien and unintelligible from Quill, and you are tumbling down a snowy mountainside. Alternating view of eating snow and seeing the bright blue sky. You wonder which mountain in Skyrim this must be. You wonder if it's the throat of the throat Throat of the world you don't know. You slam into a large boulder on the way down. 2d6 bludgeoning damage, please.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

Do I still have shield up?

[Matthew Mercer]

Nah.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

Nah.

[Laura Bailey]

Dang.

[Ashley Johnson]

We have to roll for our own damage 7 crap.

[Matthew Mercer]

You all slam hard. The wind gets knocked out of you highest hole. You get ripped out of this snowy mountain hill and splash into messily into a majestic fountain in an immaculate open square instantly drenched. Gorgeous magical colored lanterns drift about you and the air is fragrant and there's the sound of laughter and chatter which turns into gasps. An afternoon festival of some kind. Priscine. You have a split second to recognize that you are sopping wet in the center of the majestic Altmer city of Alinor in the Summerset Isles. Before an older elf just outside the fountain sputters what in noon is this? You are ripped from this reality and now your wet bodies land in sand. It sticks to you immediately in all the worst uncomfortable ways and you are buffeted by a hot gritty wind which kicks drafts up along you're looking out at many many blowing dunes in the distance you can see the minarets of a city or a ruin. You're not sure. At the sound of you all smoke sputtering in the sand five to six maybe sheep sized scorpions go. You're ripped away again. Now you're indoors immediately overwhelmed by the thick smell of dairy lying awkwardly on cheese cheese wheels. You're in some sort of large pantry of storage room a big one. Bears.

[Laura Bailey]

I've seen this mod.

[Matthew Mercer]

There's a few red banners hanging on the wall displaying the familiar diamond crest of the Cyrodiil empire and just mountains and mountains of who needs to stockpile this much? You are surrounded by fog, mist, rapid wind blown mist. Your stomach roils and seems to rise almost out of your gullet and you realize you're falling. Falling fast. You're blind in this fog. You spin your arms trying to get your bearing making sense of what is happening. Find anything to grasp onto. The fog ends. You are dropping out of a cloud free falling thousands of feet above Tamriel. A gold and green and ruddy landscape far far below. And that's when we'll take our break cast fly again.

[Laura Bailey]

You only have two make a difference to note that that rock that we hit in the summer set isles took 20 points of cold damage.

[Matthew Mercer]

Oh the hole the fountain goes.

[Laura Bailey]

What in the hell is this one? My favorite one.

[Matthew Mercer]

Armor.

[Laura Bailey]

That's all.

[Sam Riegel]

Oh man, don't make me chew.

[Matthew Mercer]

All right. We're going to take a little time, get a little water, use the loo and watch these guys hit the ground.

[Liam O'Brien]

I think it's going to hurt.

[Matthew Mercer]

See you in a minute.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

Oh hey there Laura Bailey here to tell you all about the Glorious goods we create inspired by our stories. Our stores are filled with the basics like character inspired T shirts, die sets and pins, as well as more specialty items like fancy jackets, puzzles featuring gorgeous artwork, the comfiest joggers and pajamas ever, and much, much more. There's also a few special items that support charity efforts like our dedicated Christmas Critical Role foundation merch. You can check out all of our regional online stores by visiting the shop tab on critrole.com or head straight to the US store at shop.critrole.com Every purchase helps support our shows and the stories we tell. Speaking of which, let's get back to the story.

[Matthew Mercer]

We return to our beleaguered friends. Tumbling through the firmament, Clouds streaking by in the sky above and around you. The land below is a mix of grassy plains and red arid mesas and cliffs and emeria. It is somewhat familiar, but also, you guys are plummeting rapidly and it's only getting faster. Pinwheeling through the air. Looking around, I read online that a skydive lasts about three to five minutes, so this should be fine. Okay. I don't know where the watchling is.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

But where is a skydive? Including the parachute opening and coming down?

[Matthew Mercer]

Yes.

[Sam Riegel]

So this is.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

So this would be a minute.

[Liam O'Brien]

Yeah. Yeah. So we have to time this.

[Matthew Mercer]

I will say that you spend 20 seconds just eyeing. Right? And then as you try to pull yourselves together and figure out what to do, scanning around for the watchling, for your little green friend. They are not present. You don't see them?

[Liam O'Brien]

No.

[Matthew Mercer]

What?

[Taliesin Jaffe]

Go.

[Sam Riegel]

Hell no.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

Wait.

[Laura Bailey]

Do you sell the book?

[Taliesin Jaffe]

Am I holding the book?

[Matthew Mercer]

Yes.

[Laura Bailey]

It's important.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

I have been holding it.

[Laura Bailey]

Yes. Good.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

Am I holding it?

[Matthew Mercer]

You are holding it.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

Okay.

[Sam Riegel]

Do you feel a warbling connection between.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

That and Quill looking around? I don't see Quill anywhere.

[Matthew Mercer]

Do I see makeup? Perception.

[Sam Riegel]

Oh, shit.

[Matthew Mercer]

We used math rocks in this game.

[Liam O'Brien]

Yeah.

[Laura Bailey]

Yes.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

God, that's my. I've rolled so many threes.

[Matthew Mercer]

Oh, that's what you rolled now?

[Taliesin Jaffe]

Well, no, I get to add seven to it. So 10.

[Matthew Mercer]

10.

[Sam Riegel]

I'm thinking really hard into the space around me, trying to hope that he responds and is somehow telepathically connected to me. And then I give up on that and I cast fly on myself.

[Matthew Mercer]

Okay. Okay.

[Sam Riegel]

Oh, wait. Okay, I can do something. I can convert a spell slot to a sorcery point. And who's nearest me? Whoever you are, I grab onto you.

[Matthew Mercer]

I'd say you guys are in a cluster, all 10ft apart from Each other. Ish.

[Sam Riegel]

Does anybody else.

[Liam O'Brien]

Can we do like, the. The skydive, like, all hold arms?

[Taliesin Jaffe]

Is that an option that would, like, slow us down? If two of you could fly.

[Ashley Johnson]

Yeah, on the ends, maybe. And then the people that can't.

[Sam Riegel]

I just reach out to someone who's across from me and I will use. I will. I will use twin spell fly by converting. Also converting one of those spell slots. I get to do it.

[Matthew Mercer]

Somebody stop. Do it.

[Laura Bailey]

You.

[Matthew Mercer]

Okay, so tell me then, in this moment, as magical essence flows through both of your persons, do you continue to rocket along with everybody but in control? Do you stop and watch your friends go?

[Sam Riegel]

No, no, we're holding onto each other. I'm holding on. I do the whole, you know, like, wiggle from holding hands to, like, holding wrists, and I bring them in closer to me. And you're, I hope, doing the same thing as we're both flying and kindling.

[Liam O'Brien]

I was gonna say I can join hands and I can help you in that flying, Devon. I can cast fly as well.

[Laura Bailey]

Great.

[Matthew Mercer]

So we have three of us.

[Liam O'Brien]

So now we have three flies.

[Sam Riegel]

One, two, three.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

Two of us who are just falling on.

[Matthew Mercer]

I'm holding on to the screaming. You guys are still falling really fast. It does give some drag. The remaining four players at the table, please, please make a perception check. The remaining four.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

Oh, I already did it.

[Matthew Mercer]

You already bore caught me.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

Oh, me. Me.

[Laura Bailey]

11.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

I also am holding the Grim Grimoire in my arm, so I'm only dangling by the other hand.

[Matthew Mercer]

18.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

Or I guess I'm 18 dangling up. How would that happen?

[Matthew Mercer]

11. How'd you do? We got you somehow, but you got an 18. So as. So fly, fly, fly. And these are the two who are just getting right solo. We're leaning out the show, guys. Good run. Oh, man. You pull up trying to stop their descent, and you can see probably 150ft above you, the limp, tiny form of Quill. Just like.

[Sam Riegel]

Oh, no.

[Matthew Mercer]

Plummeting with wind resistance has dragged them away from you. And that is like 150ft at this point. And it seems. You see that. Who got the 11 and the 12?

[Sam Riegel]

I got 11.

[Matthew Mercer]

You guys are looking all around too, trying to find Quill. You don't see Quill, but as Aerox is like, oh, my gosh, look, you off on a complete horizontal line. See in a cloud that you guys are whizzing past a shadow, move through it and then just leisurely, just a leisurely blue dragon glide out of the cloud, just minding its own business, having its Own day. And both of your eyes go wide. And then you start. See this as a blue dragon in the distance. Just. Is just, you know, it's taking its time. Leisurely heading this way.

[Sam Riegel]

Heading towards us.

[Matthew Mercer]

Oh, oh, oh. You two looks curious.

[Liam O'Brien]

Yes, Go.

[Ashley Johnson]

And I rocket up to try to reach Quill.

[Matthew Mercer]

Okay, you're going to Quill. Okay.

[Sam Riegel]

She can hold onto me.

[Laura Bailey]

Like climbing on your shoulders and making it difficult.

[Sam Riegel]

Just not my face.

[Matthew Mercer]

All right, so you're up. You're. Tell me what this group is doing again.

[Sam Riegel]

I'm trying to pull Nishkan up, and he's just like. You know how when you're trying to save somebody from drowning and they start to drown you?

[Matthew Mercer]

Just.

[Sam Riegel]

Version of that in disguise.

[Liam O'Brien]

And I'm pulling on Christina as she clutches the. As she clutches the girl.

[Laura Bailey]

You're so strong.

[Sam Riegel]

No, I'm not that strong.

[Liam O'Brien]

Trying not to drop the book at the time. I'm trying to save you.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

Can you read my mind?

[Matthew Mercer]

There's already been so much strong downward momentum that it is. You are definitely slowing the descent, but not by that much.

[Liam O'Brien]

Not quite.

[Matthew Mercer]

You call out that you see Quill, and these two are going like. And Emeri just shrugs and blasts upward into the sky. Do that.

[Ashley Johnson]

I would probably literally kick Nishkan off one foot. My tail.

[Matthew Mercer]

Tell you what, do me a favor and make a. You can make it acrobatics or athletics to catch Quill as you meet them in the sky.

[Ashley Johnson]

Okay, I'm going to choose acrobatics.

[Sam Riegel]

Oh, God, please.

[Ashley Johnson]

18.

[Matthew Mercer]

18. Oh, man. You streak your hands out and clasp just at the right moment. And you grab the orb at the middle with its eye, its closed eye, and spin around. And now are looking down as you fly backwards for a moment. And you can see you're holding like a basketball a little smaller than that, holding Quill. And you are seeing two different kinds of fucked up tumbling through the sky below you. There is a blue dragon. It now looks like it is about 500ft away. And coming quickly. You are holding an unconscious watchling in your hand. What are you doing?

[Taliesin Jaffe]

How far away is Emira from us?

[Matthew Mercer]

From you now? 200ft, Amiri.

[Ashley Johnson]

200Ft.

[Matthew Mercer]

200Ft. Amiri's 200ft away.

[Ashley Johnson]

I'm gonna pull my hood up out of my jester frill and cast shadow cloak, which gives me greater invisibility.

[Matthew Mercer]

Okay? Okay.

[Ashley Johnson]

And it should make my belongings invisible, too. If he's unconscious, does he become a belonging?

[Matthew Mercer]

I'm gonna say because of the size of the watchling. Yes, that Makes sense to me. Absolutely. So now you are an invisible ghost in the sky watching your friends go.

[Ashley Johnson]

And then I dive down. After I cast this. Yeah, After I cast the spell.

[Matthew Mercer]

You are closer than the dragon is. The dragon is bigger and probably a little bit faster. It looks like your trajectory you are going to get there maybe 20 seconds, half a minute before that thing closes on their position. You streak down towards them and get into their vicinity and you see a dragon now about 200ft away. Just. It doesn't look like wrathful or rageful, but it is definitely. It just looks curious is all I can say. And it is closing. Anybody? You got an unconscious?

[Ashley Johnson]

Yeah, yeah.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

But we can't see the unconscious thing anymore.

[Matthew Mercer]

That's right.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

And I was going to help it, but I didn't see anything.

[Sam Riegel]

Where'd they go?

[Laura Bailey]

They lost.

[Ashley Johnson]

Amiri left us. As I get closer to it.

[Sam Riegel]

I'm.

[Ashley Johnson]

Going to sneak attack it.

[Matthew Mercer]

What, the dragon? Yeah.

[Ashley Johnson]

I'm going to try to blind it and come out of my stealth as I do so.

[Matthew Mercer]

Oh my goodness. So you're there like 20 seconds before the dragon comes. So you fly down invisible. See this thing's head growing as large as a Honda as it comes towards you. And you are just waiting to gah. As it comes.

[Ashley Johnson]

Yeah, just blind it. I'm pulling a Mandalorian.

[Laura Bailey]

I love it.

[Matthew Mercer]

I love it.

[Ashley Johnson]

With one dagger.

[Matthew Mercer]

In a dream. Okay.

[Sam Riegel]

We're in this dream too though. It's kind of nightmare for where we're supposed to be.

[Laura Bailey]

What else?

[Ashley Johnson]

We're eat you guys.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

Do we know you're there?

[Ashley Johnson]

I'll pop out of stealth as I do it.

[Matthew Mercer]

But you're invisible. Are you un invisibling.

[Ashley Johnson]

As you have greater invisibility.

[Matthew Mercer]

You can do things and you also have a voice.

[Ashley Johnson]

I gotta be honest with you guys. I thought the dragon was going for the little guy and that's why I thought hiding him. But now I'm realizing the dragon was going for you.

[Sam Riegel]

Is he just nonchalantly just starting to open his mouth like how a whale.

[Matthew Mercer]

Eats Is he is not the one thing you have going for you is he doesn't look like I'm going to get those. It's more just if a dragon can look puzzled and like it's about to fart at the same time. That's what you're seeing on the expression of this massive thing. And it has seen you. It has seen gnats falling from the sky and now it's.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

Maybe it wants to help us.

[Ashley Johnson]

Okay, I'm gonna slightly Amend what I do then. Okay, I'm gonna say pristine.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

Catch.

[Ashley Johnson]

I'm gonna throw the little flobby Bobby.

[Liam O'Brien]

I've got a book. Yeah, so I get my. So now I'm holding you and you.

[Matthew Mercer]

Have a book and a little to.

[Ashley Johnson]

Put the book in the base.

[Matthew Mercer]

Laura. I'll tell you what, Chrissine. I'll tell you what. You hear a voice shout out of nowhere in the sky in the middle of this insanity. If you holding the book, try to catch the watchling while holding onto your flying friend, you will roll a disadvantage.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

If you let go of my friend.

[Matthew Mercer]

And the book, I'll let you catch some straight.

[Sam Riegel]

Yes, I believe in you.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

I will try to catch Quill and what the fuck? But I don't see anything.

[Liam O'Brien]

If you're like Elsa, just let it go.

[Matthew Mercer]

But you heard it and you turn towards that voice. So this is a negotiation here. So it's a straight roll. You can do athletics or acrobatics.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

Oh, Lord.

[Sam Riegel]

This is happening too fast. I can't.

[Ashley Johnson]

I can't say that you can switch your magic. Foolish choices. I have such low wisdom and intelligence.

[Matthew Mercer]

You're lonely.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

All I have is necro.

[Laura Bailey]

Never foolish.

[Ashley Johnson]

All I have is skooma.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

I have 13, which is a huge roll for me.

[Matthew Mercer]

Oh, my gosh. You feel something wet, Go and bounce away.

[Laura Bailey]

But the good news is we've lost both.

[Matthew Mercer]

As it leaves, it becomes visible. It becomes visible.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

Can I reach and try to catch.

[Matthew Mercer]

It still bounces off your head. Visibly it goes. And now it is like. Like 10ft away from it. Poor Quill is 10ft away, unconscious. Can I say, like.

[Laura Bailey]

Well, I'm pulling and climbing. Talidor. I see her lose the book. I'm like, what are you doing? And I'll go ahead and cast mage hand.

[Matthew Mercer]

Oh, good.

[Laura Bailey]

From my tone knowledge to try and grab the book as it leaves your grip from the air. I don't know if I can do that, but I can try.

[Matthew Mercer]

Yes, you can. Yes, you can.

[Laura Bailey]

Now, mage hand, does it travel with me? Probably not.

[Matthew Mercer]

I think if you focus on it.

[Ashley Johnson]

Right?

[Laura Bailey]

Yeah, it appears. But I have to move it per round. And if I'm moving away and if a range, it goes away. So instead I'm going to. I'm gonna spike it back into her.

[Matthew Mercer]

Okay.

[Liam O'Brien]

Yeah.

[Laura Bailey]

My mage hand's gonna whack.

[Matthew Mercer]

Oh, yeah.

[Sam Riegel]

Great.

[Matthew Mercer]

Yeah. And what I'll say is that when you threw the book away, it actually went lower than you. So the mage hand appears beneath the book and sort of.

[Laura Bailey]

So it cradles it no, I'm legitimately smacking it in.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

My arms are still open from trying to catch quail.

[Matthew Mercer]

You're not exactly sure what happens, but you see it. Your mage hand goes and sort of explodes like a cloud as it hits the book, but it slows the book's descent a little bit. And you, for some reason, come and catch up to it and grab everybody, make a dexterity save as the dragon blasts right through your group.

[Sam Riegel]

Oh, gosh.

[Laura Bailey]

Yeah, that's about right.

[Sam Riegel]

Oh, boy.

[Laura Bailey]

What'd you get?

[Liam O'Brien]

16.

[Matthew Mercer]

A one 20.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

No, 21.

[Matthew Mercer]

21.

[Sam Riegel]

18.

[Matthew Mercer]

18.

[Sam Riegel]

Six.

[Matthew Mercer]

Okay, four. Four, 16.

[Sam Riegel]

That's it.

[Laura Bailey]

Beat up.

[Matthew Mercer]

Luck, hope, goodwill, determination, everyone who rolled. 15, 16. Higher. You curl yourself into a ball and just pray for the best and feel yourself sort of spin in place, but stay where you are. But these two guys, no, you get knocked away from each other by the blast in two directions.

[Marisha Ray]

We've been.

[Matthew Mercer]

This is like a minute into this ordeal. She's got the book. No, I still see Quill. You've got the book. You see, Quill is now like, again, wind resistance on this little body is moving 20ft away. It's still close.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

It's only 20ft away.

[Matthew Mercer]

20Ft away.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

Misty stepped Quill to Quill.

[Matthew Mercer]

Yes. With the book.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

Yes.

[Matthew Mercer]

Oh, my gosh. You hero.

[Sam Riegel]

Yes.

[Matthew Mercer]

You are double elbowing this pair of arcane twinsies and falling and falling in the book together and falling. You're flying and invisible. You right yourself. You went on an angle and are now about 60, 70, 80ft away from the group.

[Laura Bailey]

I'm fine.

[Matthew Mercer]

You are, too, in the opposite. You are flying. You are flying. You catch yourself. But you two are spread from the group. These two are going to die. What's up?

[Sam Riegel]

I reach for Nishkan, and I'm going to try to spin around and fly back towards him and grab him again, which is a very athletic feat that I am not good at. But I'm gonna. I don't see anything else possible.

[Matthew Mercer]

I want you to make an acrobatics check to catch him and hold.

[Sam Riegel]

Not this one, Nat. 20.

[Matthew Mercer]

Yes. Thank you, Flory.

[Sam Riegel]

Yes.

[Matthew Mercer]

So you streak back towards Niskan. Your hands reach out, you see him, and you're like hands clasp. You guys kind of go boom and spin like helicopter rotors for a second, and then you're kind of falling again, but you are pulling against it, and at least you're not going on an insane trajectory and you are slowing it. You guys are not with the group.

[Laura Bailey]

I have wrapped my arms and legs around you and you hear like, thank you.

[Matthew Mercer]

Thank you.

[Laura Bailey]

And you also feel a little bit of dampness around there.

[Matthew Mercer]

The dragon is 4 or 500ft away and is doing a slow little turn around again and heading its way back here. We have three groups. One group has the book and the creature. And you two are 100ft away from them. You could totally slow down until. And wear knee scan like a backpack, but you wouldn't be with a group.

[Sam Riegel]

Yes. Oh, well, I need to be with a group. I'm going to try to get to the group and call the group to me. Don't leave us, please.

[Laura Bailey]

I'm going to keep casting mage hand to smack us back, but it feels good.

[Matthew Mercer]

All right, so it looks like.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

Have I been caught yet? Because I was free falling.

[Matthew Mercer]

No, you're freefalling.

[Ashley Johnson]

Unless I could try to catch you.

[Liam O'Brien]

I was like, how far away are you from me?

[Matthew Mercer]

You guys are very close.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

So you guys can catch me.

[Matthew Mercer]

Yeah, you guys are a little.

[Ashley Johnson]

Because I'm sort of responsible for her falling.

[Liam O'Brien]

I feel like it's in your job.

[Laura Bailey]

Yeah, that's valid.

[Liam O'Brien]

Yeah, yeah.

[Ashley Johnson]

I'm gonna just. You don't see it, which is sad, but if you could, you just see, like, a beautiful falling back into a beautiful corkscrew. As I try to make myself fast enough to meet end velocity and grab her.

[Matthew Mercer]

Jingling through the sky.

[Ashley Johnson]

Yeah, you probably just hear the.

[Laura Bailey]

Jingling.

[Matthew Mercer]

Santa. Yeah.

[Liam O'Brien]

Santa. Free falling.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

Is Quill in my arms still unconscious?

[Matthew Mercer]

Yes.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

Okay. I hear Mary's bells, so I feel safe. I believe I'm going to be saved. And I'm going to.

[Matthew Mercer]

I love that.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

I'm going to cast live transference into Quill.

[Matthew Mercer]

Yes.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

So I'm going to give my health to Quill to wake them up.

[Matthew Mercer]

Okay.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

While we're falling.

[Matthew Mercer]

Yes. Is there a specific amount that goes in?

[Taliesin Jaffe]

It's 48. Off myself.

[Matthew Mercer]

Off yourself.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

And then. Yes.

[Sam Riegel]

And they get double that.

[Matthew Mercer]

I think I need you to roll that for me. For reasons oh, no.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

For reasons oh, no. Okay, I will.

[Matthew Mercer]

Fine.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

I will roll it. What should be the best roll?

[Laura Bailey]

Let's go.

[Liam O'Brien]

We really just need one hand.

[Laura Bailey]

Well, of course.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

This is all I have.

[Sam Riegel]

I'm with you.

[Matthew Mercer]

This is all I have.

[Sam Riegel]

This is what the universe knows. All we need.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

No, no, no, that's fine. Four. 10. 12.

[Matthew Mercer]

Okay, so 12. 10 to Quill.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

12. No, off of me, off of you. And then they get 24.

[Matthew Mercer]

Oh, my goodness. You transfer your life, your essence.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

Because I did. Was that. Wait. Yes, I did that at third level. I realize now I Could have done that less, but I did it at third. That's what we're staying with.

[Matthew Mercer]

You watch as the flesh, the torn flesh of this tendril just knits shut and pulls together. And the eye wriggles and opens up. And everyone in their brain hears. Whoa.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

Emeri's helping us.

[Matthew Mercer]

So you are listening for Emeri's bells. You are keeping up. You guys are trying to close and meet at the bottom. The dragon is now 200, 180, 150ft. You guys are probably got another 20 seconds before you hit the ground. The group I think I'm writing you like, comes together at the last possible moment. This time the dragon is closing in. And you can see the dragon's expression is, you know what? No. And then Quill begins to flare. Don't take the back of it in that direction. You are ripped from reality. And what happens next is you see water ripple in front of you, all of you. And you see the water rushing away from you as you shoot straight up in the air the exact opposite direction of where you were just falling. So you were rocketing this way. Now you are rocketing this way, away from the surface of a lake. You are going 50ft in the air, 70ft in the air. 80ft in the air, 100ft in the air. Oh my gosh. It's a little lake or some sort of tree lined lakeside tree. And you begin to fall again.

[Liam O'Brien]

Oh my God.

[Matthew Mercer]

You are falling about 100ft towards water below. You still do anything you like.

[Sam Riegel]

We're still flying. We're still flying.

[Matthew Mercer]

Yes. Anyone who's still flying. So flying, flying, holding, flying, holding, flying.

[Ashley Johnson]

I'm gonna try to grab and slow down. Pristine if I can.

[Matthew Mercer]

Okay? Yes. So you guys shoot up and then feel yourself, everyone, Quill included. What?

[Sam Riegel]

I've been on this ride.

[Matthew Mercer]

And then as the drop begins, you have a brain fart moment and go fly. And everyone starts to pull, pull. And you slow. Hovering about 50ft over a lake in a different place entirely. There are trees all along the water here. It's a small lake. You're probably 500ft from land. And you can see trees with all interwoven roots growing in a forest here. But the roots are spilling over into the water. You can see at the height you're at some old stone structures hidden away in the trees off to the side and floating there. Quill rotates out of your hand and floats up. Looking at you all.

[Marisha Ray]

A warm mortal. So squishy like you.

[Sam Riegel]

We're an especially squishy Group actually staunchly.

[Liam O'Brien]

In favor of squishiness.

[Marisha Ray]

I've read books about warriors.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

Yes. We are not them.

[Marisha Ray]

Do you have any warriors?

[Sam Riegel]

You're still invisible.

[Ashley Johnson]

I try to fight like I have six claws, but no.

[Marisha Ray]

I'm going to go have a rest.

[Matthew Mercer]

And they float away from you and sort of bobble their way down.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

Well, you're welcome.

[Sam Riegel]

Yes, I'm following. I'm going to try to drag Nishkan over to where Quill is going.

[Laura Bailey]

I think Nishkan is half catatonic at this point. And she's like.

[Sam Riegel]

It'S okay. I just stroke your hair.

[Laura Bailey]

It's all right.

[Sam Riegel]

It's all going to be okay.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

So maybe let Nishkan take a little bath in the lake.

[Ashley Johnson]

You're in shock.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

You just need urine. Exactly.

[Sam Riegel]

I dip him in the water as.

[Liam O'Brien]

I fly.

[Laura Bailey]

Tumble out of the lake onto his back. Good job everyone. Well done. My book. My book. Joe's back in the leg.

[Matthew Mercer]

Quill floats over to you. Once you join on the side and comes to a rest and you feel a little. Some of Quill's arms have almost a fin on the end and they almost stand a bit on your lap and then rest. And you hear in your mind, thank you.

[Marisha Ray]

Thank you very much.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

You're welcome, little one.

[Ashley Johnson]

They say you're never ready.

[Matthew Mercer]

Somewhere there's a dragon going, oh, fuck.

[Marisha Ray]

But we are not finished.

[Sam Riegel]

We're not.

[Marisha Ray]

We have to return the Grimorix Nimula to. To the One who Knows.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

Right. And where are they?

[Marisha Ray]

Oblivion. Oh, in the realm of Apocrypha.

[Laura Bailey]

Water SPLASH I found it. What are we talking about?

[Taliesin Jaffe]

I'm returning the Grimoire.

[Liam O'Brien]

Back in the adventure.

[Laura Bailey]

Oh, where to?

[Taliesin Jaffe]

Oblivion.

[Laura Bailey]

Ooh, I like that.

[Matthew Mercer]

Of course you do.

[Marisha Ray]

There are many secrets inside the Grimorix.

[Laura Bailey]

Can I see it?

[Matthew Mercer]

Can I see the.

[Sam Riegel]

Have we even opened it?

[Taliesin Jaffe]

No.

[Ashley Johnson]

No.

[Sam Riegel]

Can we take a peek?

[Matthew Mercer]

Quill floats over to our arcanist and places two suckered fins on the sides of your temples.

[Marisha Ray]

You bear the One who Knows mark. They knew this was to come.

[Matthew Mercer]

The book hovers a bit out of your hands and Quill floats backward and above. And this is the first time where you're not being attacked by a squadron of werewolves or falling out of the sky to look at this thing. And the book underneath is, as I said, an old tattered thing. It has a pressed design of Hermaeus. It is a spread of tendrils and one all knowing eye in the center and arms stretched down in the design around an icon of a gate on the COVID of the book. But you're seeing. Seeing that through blackened metal bands that stretch all around this thing. Little holes in them. They somewhat look a little like the arms of Hermaeis emblazoned on the book. They look somewhat like Quill. And Quill extends all of their arms and. And wraps them around the book. And as if they were made for it, every band around the book is covered by an arm and an arm and an arm and an arm and Quill. All those little runes across its body glow as one. And they lift up their tendrils and that metal is just not there anymore. And the book opens before you. Niskan the pages. You guys see an emerald glow emanating from the book. And mathematic, almost fractal linework. And rings extending out of it around Nyska. Eyes and face enveloping him. And your mind awakens in a way you did not know possible. Words with no meaning that you now understand. Words of power that you understand implicitly in your mind and in your body. Body. Where is it?

[Sam Riegel]

Oh.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

You got a heav.

[Ashley Johnson]

Do it. Go fight that dragon.

[Laura Bailey]

Come on, buddy.

[Liam O'Brien]

Find the Light of Lon.

[Laura Bailey]

It's quite a good read. I'd like to spend some time with it.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

What does it give you? What did you find out?

[Laura Bailey]

Nothing.

[Sam Riegel]

How could you?

[Liam O'Brien]

Why the secrets?

[Matthew Mercer]

What?

[Sam Riegel]

No.

[Ashley Johnson]

I just wanted to know what sign I am.

[Laura Bailey]

Aquarius. When a Tunduita increases my charisma score to. To a maximum of 20. And I can cast mirror image once per day without using a spell slot. And I can use Misty step a number of times equal to my proficiency bonus. Oh, my.

[Matthew Mercer]

Whoa.

[Laura Bailey]

Which is cool.

[Liam O'Brien]

Yeah.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

That is super cool.

[Laura Bailey]

And also, like I said before, a fine read.

[Sam Riegel]

So, can I read that?

[Laura Bailey]

You can borrow it.

[Sam Riegel]

Okay. We're colleagues after all.

[Laura Bailey]

That's true.

[Matthew Mercer]

There we go.

[Sam Riegel]

Are you okay? That was. You know. Quite the journey that I saved you from.

[Liam O'Brien]

You did?

[Laura Bailey]

Thank you very much. Take a look. I'm gonna. Are we all gonna take a nap here? I'm extremely threadbare in my. Yeah.

[Liam O'Brien]

That vampire really messed me up.

[Ashley Johnson]

I feel amazing.

[Marisha Ray]

The hunters who want this book, they want its deepest secret. Which is tied to hermeias stairway.

[Laura Bailey]

Where is this stairway?

[Sam Riegel]

What page is the secret on?

[Marisha Ray]

It is on no page.

[Sam Riegel]

Oh.

[Marisha Ray]

It is a place in Tamriel. A long forgotten entry point to Apocrypha. Its most inner sanctum.

[Liam O'Brien]

Let's go.

[Matthew Mercer]

That's.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

Yes, yes, yes. But where?

[Marisha Ray]

Far to the south of here.

[Ashley Johnson]

But you could just take us.

[Matthew Mercer]

QUILL mimics you. Does this with all tendrils?

[Marisha Ray]

Yeah, it's twue. I suppose a short race will be all right.

[Sam Riegel]

I think.

[Marisha Ray]

But I'm a little antsy.

[Ashley Johnson]

I'll keep watch. I feel amazing.

[Sam Riegel]

I do need to take a breather.

[Ashley Johnson]

Mama just needs a glass of wine.

[Liam O'Brien]

I need to lie down.

[Ashley Johnson]

I'll keep an eye out. You guys take a nap.

[Marisha Ray]

Your enemies know of this place?

[Ashley Johnson]

I'll kill them if they come.

[Laura Bailey]

She will. Quick rest I think is in order right here.

[Sam Riegel]

This is indeed a good read.

[Laura Bailey]

Unless anyone else has any issue, I would like to make this mine.

[Matthew Mercer]

Do you mean to just take a little time at the side of this lake? Or do you mean to gather yourselves entirely?

[Laura Bailey]

Like short rest?

[Ashley Johnson]

Short rest?

[Sam Riegel]

Yes. I mean a long rest would. Would be so long.

[Liam O'Brien]

Hence the name.

[Sam Riegel]

Yes. I think there's. I mean. I fear that we might. That which is hunting for this might find us if we take too long.

[Matthew Mercer]

I want to clarify something. I said Quill said they know of this place. Speaking into your mind. It is clear that that Quill meant Hermaeus Stair Stairway. So not this place.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

So they won't find us here.

[Matthew Mercer]

Your destination.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

They might beat us to the stairway though.

[Sam Riegel]

Got it. In which case, I think we should be as prepared as possible.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

So a long rest.

[Sam Riegel]

I would love a long rest.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

They might be there already.

[Sam Riegel]

You're right. I make myself really comfortable and start to get ready for a nice long sleep.

[Matthew Mercer]

Right?

[Sam Riegel]

Unless someone does tells me otherwise.

[Matthew Mercer]

Oh, it's fine.

[Laura Bailey]

Ready to read.

[Liam O'Brien]

I feel like I will join you in that endeavor.

[Matthew Mercer]

Okay. Well, since you are taking the time in this large internetwork of trees that stretches off into the distance as far as the eye can see from when you are flying above it. You push through maybe a couple hundred feet to some stone structures you saw there and nestle into this spot. Emiri. You recognize there are old ruins here that are covered over and swallowed up by these tree roots and growing on them and over them. But the architecture. The ruins are of Khajiit origin. And it is just confirming your flash of success. Suspicion in the sky that you are somewhere in elsewhere.

[Ashley Johnson]

Are the two moons visible to me?

[Matthew Mercer]

Well, the sun is still high, but.

[Ashley Johnson]

I know they're there even though I can't see them. Just like I'm always here when you.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

Guys can't see me.

[Matthew Mercer]

But the night does come and the moons do rise as we. Well, as you see the constellation for the thief in the sky. An old friend. An old familiar friend to you. Is anyone going to do a watch?

[Taliesin Jaffe]

Yes. Well, I don't technically have to sleep for quite as long as everyone. And I believe you don't either.

[Laura Bailey]

No, not technically.

[Matthew Mercer]

Yes, yes, yes.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

So maybe the two of us, I think.

[Laura Bailey]

Two of us? Yes.

[Matthew Mercer]

Okay, you go first.

[Laura Bailey]

I'll take second watch.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

Sounds good.

[Matthew Mercer]

You're first.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

I'll watch first. And then I'll take a little nappy.

[Matthew Mercer]

After you've got good old perception shift.

[Ashley Johnson]

Can I stay up with you?

[Taliesin Jaffe]

Yes, but don't you need to sleep, dear?

[Ashley Johnson]

I. I like to be awake at night.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

Let's watch the moons together then.

[Ashley Johnson]

All right.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

Dirty 2010.

[Ashley Johnson]

Once again, I am distracted. So that's the thief constellation.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

Oh, yes.

[Matthew Mercer]

Yep.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

Which one?

[Ashley Johnson]

Putting my arm around you.

[Matthew Mercer]

Look right there.

[Ashley Johnson]

Do you know the species of khajiit is determined by the face of the moons you're born under?

[Taliesin Jaffe]

Really?

[Ashley Johnson]

There are some khajiit that are the size of house cats and have the form of a house cat, but are just as intelligent as you or I.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

Well, what were you born under then? Well.

[Ashley Johnson]

I'll tell you sometime. When the dm. The color rises in my panther cheeks. If it could.

[Matthew Mercer]

You tell her all about.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

Yeah.

[Ashley Johnson]

Like a lover's embrace. The two moons cross each other. When they do, a beautiful kitten is born. Perhaps our moons can cross one day.

[Matthew Mercer]

Emeria, as you're laying on the move so smoothly, there it is. A rustle in the distance. In the bushes, maybe 50 or 60ft away. You hear it. You hear it and pause, right?

[Ashley Johnson]

What?

[Taliesin Jaffe]

There was a rustling. I think it's a frog.

[Matthew Mercer]

It is not. I'm just a bad impressionist. Five or six large black boars trundle out of the brush here.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

It sounds more like a boar, now that I think about it.

[Matthew Mercer]

If I do it too hardcore, I'm going to start coughing.

[Sam Riegel]

So I'm not going to do it.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

I should wait. Wait. How dangerous a boar?

[Ashley Johnson]

A trivial matter. But I don't think that they'll bother us. They're boar.

[Matthew Mercer]

They all kind of turn and just stare blankly for a good count of five. Vanish off into the night.

[Ashley Johnson]

I have to go to bed. I'm so tired. It's your watch anyway. Anyways, good night.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

I didn't get it. Pleasant conversation.

[Ashley Johnson]

Curl up into a ball and go to sleep.

[Matthew Mercer]

You are the most approachable necromancer. That's it. Just the boars and Emeri. Those are the only two movement in the night.

[Ashley Johnson]

Ladies, are you choosing the boar?

[Sam Riegel]

Yep.

[Laura Bailey]

Then each of us are two wounds.

[Matthew Mercer]

Well, time passes and you awaken Niskan from Their meditation.

[Laura Bailey]

Well, I'll say if I can.

[Matthew Mercer]

Yes.

[Laura Bailey]

As part of my come to here, come to me. There it is. My musician training. Towards the end of my watch, I'm holding the book clasped to my chest and have as part of the end of my trance, began to emit a classic dunmer throat singing chord. A I kind of greets you all to a relatively uncomfortable wake. But as part of my encouraging song ability, at the end of the long rest, I get to choose three of you to get heroic inspiration.

[Matthew Mercer]

Oh, this is upon the rise, you say?

[Laura Bailey]

Yes.

[Matthew Mercer]

Okay. As you all awaken and you are singing your song, you notice a shadow go over, look up, continue to sing. And then it happens again. And you see up in the sky, pretty distant, but a blue dragon just skimming around in the sky. But you lower your throat singing a little bit, keep it up, and it passes along on its way.

[Laura Bailey]

Morning.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

Morning. Lovely singing. It's getting better and better every time.

[Laura Bailey]

Thank you, heaven. Practice.

[Liam O'Brien]

I think it's okay.

[Laura Bailey]

Any of you need heroic inspiration?

[Taliesin Jaffe]

What does it give us gives you heroic inspiration?

[Laura Bailey]

You can spend it. No. You can spend it to keep advantage on a roll if you want.

[Liam O'Brien]

Do you have an inspiring meme you would like to share with us?

[Taliesin Jaffe]

You can give it to three of us.

[Laura Bailey]

I give you three of you. Who's my friend?

[Sam Riegel]

I saved you.

[Matthew Mercer]

That's true. Just.

[Laura Bailey]

You get one.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

I complimented your singing.

[Laura Bailey]

You get one.

[Liam O'Brien]

You ran away from me in my dire need. I feel like I'm going to guilt you into giving me one.

[Matthew Mercer]

Ah.

[Laura Bailey]

I did not run from you. I had to get to the Grimoire in case it could save you. You can have it.

[Liam O'Brien]

Thank you.

[Ashley Johnson]

I did flip you off, so. It's fine.

[Matthew Mercer]

Arrok's quill lands or hovers just on your shoulder. And a tentacle wraps around your head, sort of like a bandana. And all of you in your heads. Here.

[Marisha Ray]

I don't think we can tarry any longer. I feel that we should get to Amorous. Stay away as fast as possible.

[Sam Riegel]

Okay.

[Marisha Ray]

Are you ready?

[Sam Riegel]

Not quite yet. And then I activate all that energy that I did before. You see this field shimmering shield around me. I'm going to give aid to Niskan and Arax this time because I didn't think you needed it very much before.

[Laura Bailey]

Honestly.

[Matthew Mercer]

Mm.

[Liam O'Brien]

Give it to someone else. I'm a Hardy boy.

[Sam Riegel]

I'll give it to Priscine and Aurax. So you get an extra five permanent hit points.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

I believe it's Aerox.

[Sam Riegel]

Aerox?

[Liam O'Brien]

It's true. It is Aerox.

[Sam Riegel]

I have an accent.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

I've noticed.

[Sam Riegel]

Yes, thank you, thank you. And yeah. And I activate all that stuff. False life.

[Matthew Mercer]

What does that mean?

[Taliesin Jaffe]

What is it? What did you get?

[Sam Riegel]

Extra five actual hit points. Not temporary.

[Laura Bailey]

Ooh.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

And then I'm going to give myself force life and give myself temporary hit points as well.

[Matthew Mercer]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Ashley Johnson]

I'm going to mage armor up.

[Laura Bailey]

Mage armor as well. And cast my fate. Woven armor once more.

[Matthew Mercer]

And magical wards the eye blinks at all of you. Waiting, waiting, waiting.

[Laura Bailey]

Wait.

[Matthew Mercer]

One more thing. It's strange.

[Ashley Johnson]

I'm starting to like it.

[Matthew Mercer]

You left one forest and traded it for not exactly the same thing. You've landed now in a fully tropical landscape with thick, thick hot. The moisture is intense. There are bothersome insects flying in the air that you have to swat occasionally. You are in dense tree cover. You can't even see where to go. But of course your watchling friend turns around to you all.

[Marisha Ray]

Follow me. It will be a little bit.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

All right.

[Matthew Mercer]

As you traverse through the landscape, Arox, you notice that we are passing fallen basically of ancient Argonian ruins with their signature design aspects. You are feeling pretty lost without your guide here. For the first five or ten minutes that you walk through this place, climbing over roots and stone. You rise up a crest and as trees thin out for a moment, you have a better view of the world around you. Here you can see the ocean in the far distance. You can even see a city on the water. Looks like half a day's march from where you are. There is also a row of mountains that you're heading towards. But the strangest thing on this horizon is the massive, blue, undulating, writhing, arcane wall of energy that seems to pass along the mountains here, which are not skyrim massive, but mountains. And it stretches across what looks like the length of this place to you. It stretches out of view in both directions. It is singular and different than anything you've ever seen in Tamriel. You guys press forward and the ruins become a little more frequent. And at a certain point you find some dead guys laid in a heap. In some of these ruins you find two people who have similar thin to air robes. And they're not thick things. It's a very thin, gauzy material. And one of them has. One is a Breton, you can tell, and has a tattoo on their arm. And the other one is a dunmer. And matching that tattoo on the medallion, there is is this little symbol of a skull etched in and inked in with the bones of a snake stretching down from it. You recognize this symbol? It is the symbol of the worm cult in the not too distant past. A little maybe even a year back from now times. Loosey goosey. In this one shot there was a mage named Mannimarco who initiated a terrifying event called the Plainmeld and tried to pull part of the world into oblivion. It is part of why Tamriel is in so much disarray now. And the Wyrm cult was central to that. This Mannimarco figure was consorting with the Daedric Prince Molag Bal. Prince of domination and enslavement. Like you do. But they are necromancers. And because you dabble, you dabble in dead. It would be hard for you not to have known for the darkest side of the dark side anyway. They're dead here.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

Anything we can take off their bodies?

[Matthew Mercer]

One of them has a curved dagger with three black obsidian stones in the hilt. You've got this little medallion on one. There's also strange. They're almost above table Giger esque pieces of metal and onyx. It looks like some sort of. You've seen little bits of machinery in the world and it seems to be some sort of. It's unfinished pieces but some sort of arcane device of some kind.

[Sam Riegel]

There's pieces of it here with them.

[Matthew Mercer]

Yeah they have like three. They don't look like weapons. They don't look like.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

It's just something that can be used potentially. I'm going to take three cheese wheels out of my bag and make.

[Matthew Mercer]

You took three cheese wheels.

[Liam O'Brien]

Of course you were only there a second look.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

You can always use more cheese wheels. But I have enough room now.

[Laura Bailey]

I can put could have safely landed.

[Sam Riegel]

On those cheese wheels. Hindsight I want to take a bite of the cheese wheel and while I do that I also want these bodies I think are really interesting if there's a way to determine whether they were executed. Bound and executed or murdered in a fight.

[Matthew Mercer]

Yeah sure. Make a. I would say make it just a straight intelligence roll a rot 2012 12. They seem like they have fallen sick somehow. But you're unsure. I back up.

[Sam Riegel]

They seem sick.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

Is it anything we should be worried about?

[Sam Riegel]

I don't know. Quill.

[Matthew Mercer]

Quill hovers over these two.

[Marisha Ray]

These two have the smell of Molag BAAL on them. This is naught to do with us. Press on.

[Ashley Johnson]

Quill. I've heard. I've heard things and just give me a thumbs up or a thumbs or flip her up or flip her down. Doesn't Molot ball own your Soul and make you work in his section. And he's here.

[Marisha Ray]

Whose soul? My soul?

[Ashley Johnson]

No, like mortals. Like he takes your soul and then he makes you work with a mining pick forever and ever and ever and ever.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

That's kind of a pig.

[Ashley Johnson]

Yeah.

[Marisha Ray]

I would avoid him. Yeah.

[Ashley Johnson]

Well, a little bit of P came out because no one else scared of.

[Sam Riegel]

Deeply perturbed.

[Matthew Mercer]

Deeply.

[Liam O'Brien]

We should follow the quill.

[Ashley Johnson]

Can your guy be that guy in a fight?

[Laura Bailey]

Oh, I'm certain. Great wondrous entity of many secrets could definitely. I have no idea. But it is a lead we can follow. And besides, we are both watched upon by entities of great power. Yes.

[Ashley Johnson]

He sometimes watches me. And sometimes he wanders off and does other things. That's kind of his whole deal.

[Laura Bailey]

I do. Right. So one and a half.

[Ashley Johnson]

Okay. Okay. Let's go. Should we take these as disguises?

[Liam O'Brien]

Awesome.

[Sam Riegel]

It seems. Is it covered in the medallions?

[Matthew Mercer]

No.

[Sam Riegel]

Okay.

[Matthew Mercer]

No.

[Ashley Johnson]

Just the medallions.

[Sam Riegel]

Yeah, I think so.

[Ashley Johnson]

The rags.

[Sam Riegel]

I think that's right.

[Liam O'Brien]

We should bare hands to grab it then.

[Ashley Johnson]

You know a mage hand.

[Sam Riegel]

Yeah.

[Laura Bailey]

I'll do the same.

[Sam Riegel]

Me too.

[Ashley Johnson]

Kitty cat claw grabs 1.

[Sam Riegel]

How many medallions are there?

[Taliesin Jaffe]

Just in case?

[Ashley Johnson]

2.

[Sam Riegel]

Are there two? Great.

[Matthew Mercer]

Cool. All right.

[Ashley Johnson]

Just in case.

[Sam Riegel]

Yeah. No.

[Matthew Mercer]

Good. Good move.

[Laura Bailey]

I'll put one to you.

[Sam Riegel]

That device that they have. Those metal pieces are interesting to me. But maybe that's not. This is not the day for me.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

Wait. Hold on. I'm gonna cast speak with dead. Ah, you there. So sorry this happened to you. What are these little metal thingies for? Right here. Look up here. My dear. Please. What were you going to do with them?

[Matthew Mercer]

They are for building our forces.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

I didn't understand any of that.

[Liam O'Brien]

I didn't make out any of that.

[Laura Bailey]

Had four beans for the saints.

[Marisha Ray]

Forces.

[Liam O'Brien]

Forces.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

I've got a few more questions. Don't pass out yet. Did you die of sickness?

[Matthew Mercer]

It was.

[Liam O'Brien]

Poison.

[Ashley Johnson]

Poison?

[Matthew Mercer]

No.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

We should be careful of poison.

[Liam O'Brien]

Ask him if he saw who did this to him.

[Ashley Johnson]

Who did this to him?

[Matthew Mercer]

You.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

Do you know? Evil eye.

[Ashley Johnson]

Oh.

[Matthew Mercer]

Zivili, Zivili.

[Ashley Johnson]

Zivili, Zivili, Zivili.

[Laura Bailey]

Which are the dremor that are not.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

Bound to specific twinies. The twin twins.

[Matthew Mercer]

The twins. The twins.

[Laura Bailey]

But how recently?

[Taliesin Jaffe]

Yes. How long ago did you die?

[Matthew Mercer]

Looks up at the sky and the sun. Yes. Dude.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

Oh, poor dears. It's so recent.

[Laura Bailey]

Right. So they got here. So they're going to be waiting.

[Liam O'Brien]

They're nice. So they're not that far ahead.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

So I have one more question.

[Liam O'Brien]

You might Want to make it quick? I don't know how much longer.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

Did you notice any weaknesses on the little twinnies? Big twinies, technically.

[Matthew Mercer]

No shirts.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

No shirts. Yes, no shirts. I did notice that. Swell.

[Liam O'Brien]

The bugs will bite.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

Good to know.

[Matthew Mercer]

Okay.

[Sam Riegel]

Okay.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

All right. Rest well. Night. Night.

[Matthew Mercer]

Night.

[Liam O'Brien]

Is it disrespectful to say rest well to a dead person?

[Marisha Ray]

No, no, no.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

Long sleep.

[Sam Riegel]

Forever sleep.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

Did anyone understand what he said about these.

[Sam Riegel]

These thingies for the Force? Something for forces.

[Matthew Mercer]

For the forces.

[Ashley Johnson]

Just a shot. Maybe to get through that force field.

[Liam O'Brien]

Right.

[Ashley Johnson]

Maybe you need some type of contraction to get through this shimmering blue barrier. I can't be sure. I could try.

[Sam Riegel]

Yes. I think that would be great.

[Ashley Johnson]

I'm kind of nifty sometimes.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

There's a few more.

[Matthew Mercer]

You're quite nifty.

[Laura Bailey]

We believe in you.

[Liam O'Brien]

We don't have a lot of oxygen.

[Sam Riegel]

Yes. I'm gonna step away from you, though, while you do it.

[Ashley Johnson]

I'm gonna put the pieces in front of me and drink half a bottle of Skooma and hope something comes to me.

[Matthew Mercer]

To do. What are we trying to do with these?

[Liam O'Brien]

Try.

[Ashley Johnson]

Try to see how the pieces fit together. Not using any arcane knowledge, but more so. The wear on the pieces and the grooves.

[Matthew Mercer]

You can make a straight intelligence check.

[Ashley Johnson]

Okay.

[Sam Riegel]

Are the drugs you gave me liquid?

[Ashley Johnson]

No, it's Moon sugar. I gave you.

[Matthew Mercer]

Oh, yeah.

[Sam Riegel]

Good.

[Matthew Mercer]

Yeah.

[Sam Riegel]

Okay. Cause that would suck.

[Ashley Johnson]

Oh. I'm not smart. 10.

[Matthew Mercer]

10.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

I'm like, well, can we use Arcana to look at it?

[Matthew Mercer]

Yes.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

All right. I'll do the same.

[Ashley Johnson]

I have a great plan. You should use Arcana to look at this.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

Let's just look at it.

[Matthew Mercer]

Okay.

[Sam Riegel]

I'll look at it with you and give you the help action, if that's possible.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

That gives me advantage.

[Sam Riegel]

So if it put our heads together.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

No, that was better. 17 arcana, which is 11. So 28.

[Matthew Mercer]

28. You understand that this is incomplete. This is not three things that are going to turn into a perfect anything. But there is some etching in it that tells you that it is necromantic in nature, but you know nothing about machinery.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

You know, maybe we don't even need this.

[Matthew Mercer]

It just tells you that. You would guess from staring at these things for a half minute or so that this is something to do with the worm cult. Mm.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

Yes. Yes. Yes. And we already have the Grimoire and Quill. We can get through it.

[Sam Riegel]

Those medallions. And I guess we should just take them. Just in case. Maybe we find other pieces. You never know.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

Later.

[Marisha Ray]

Take them to guilt. Very squishy though.

[Sam Riegel]

Which one?

[Matthew Mercer]

Who's squishy?

[Sam Riegel]

Me. Yeah, I am.

[Matthew Mercer]

Yeah.

[Sam Riegel]

Have you been feeling me?

[Marisha Ray]

Only a little.

[Sam Riegel]

Okay. Just wanted to make sure that was you. I didn't know who it. I let him this time. I don't resist whatever he's doing to me with that noise.

[Matthew Mercer]

I just let him in your mind. You hear as a little tendril goes like this.

[Marisha Ray]

It will have to do.

[Matthew Mercer]

And they turn and start to hover through.

[Laura Bailey]

Do not worry. Separate we are squishy, but together we are turgid.

[Marisha Ray]

I understood that reference.

[Ashley Johnson]

I follow Quell.

[Sam Riegel]

Yes.

[Liam O'Brien]

I never forget. This time I join in as well.

[Matthew Mercer]

Squid. Hum.

[Liam O'Brien]

No, Me too.

[Sam Riegel]

Because I succumb to peer pressure.

[Matthew Mercer]

You know, you never shake off the oddity of finding them there. But especially there is a wall of writhing energy streaking into the sky. It doesn't seem to fit or make sense with anything that has happened in the last 24 hours. But you also warped into a room full of cheese. Who knows? You continue up and it starts to become an uphill climb at the base of one of these mountains. An hour later I'll say of following Quill through this. And you guys are a drenched, sweaty, disgusting mess at this point. You realize as you're climbing that you're not just on Earth at this point on stone and soil, but you're stepping on crumbled stairs and realize that this is more Argonian architecture. Ancient ruins, but a lot of it. You can see statues jutting up out of the plants here. And you are climbing up a long lost ruined temple stair it feels like, but it's covered over with plants and vines. And at a certain point you crest to the top and find two blue hued gentlemen. Two twins with horns in their kilts, just sitting on stones. And they sit up as you arrive and big guy Naravix just sort of smiles and licks his teeth. And then his brother, still sitting on this crumbling stone dais. There is a rise in the center of this place. And each level of stone has Argonian designed writhing tentacles stretching in a different direction on each level. And Zivaron, the more lithe of the twins, is sitting on that. We were wondering how long we were.

[Marisha Ray]

Going to have to wait here in the heat. You run into Molag Bal's little worms.

[Matthew Mercer]

Wriggling on the island.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

Yes, we did see your handiwork.

[Ashley Johnson]

When? When did we see that.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

That was.

[Matthew Mercer]

The two dead guys.

[Ashley Johnson]

We saw dead people.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

You just.

[Ashley Johnson]

Yeah, we.

[Laura Bailey]

I'm slowly like trying to pull the School bottle away.

[Sam Riegel]

There will be an intervention later.

[Matthew Mercer]

Thank you.

[Marisha Ray]

We got a handful to war.

[Matthew Mercer]

You guys.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

Again.

[Matthew Mercer]

It's too much.

[Liam O'Brien]

I'll stop.

[Sam Riegel]

I step away from Miriam.

[Matthew Mercer]

Naravix. The bigger of these twins cracks his neck and says it's good that they were littering. The jungle boat provided us with some raw materials to better prepare for your arrival. And he tilts his head back. And you can see hidden off to the side, somewhat hidden in the brush are five more dead people in a ring. And you can see painted on the stone. Stone here takes five or six seconds for it to sink in. But patterns on the stone that remind you of what was painted on the floor of the place you hung over in iron chains.

[Laura Bailey]

Point of order. On the way here, could I have used my magical cunning ability Take a minute for an esoteric rite to regain a spell slot?

[Matthew Mercer]

Yeah. Thank you. Zevarun Ran. The one with a long ponytail finally stands up. We had things all laid out until you stuck your thumb in the pie. A lot of extra trouble. Now we will be taking that book. Stares deadeye at Quill. And the key.

[Laura Bailey]

No, I want to keep it.

[Ashley Johnson]

Also, his name's not Keith. It's Quill. Even I know that.

[Matthew Mercer]

They raise.

[Ashley Johnson]

Are they?

[Taliesin Jaffe]

Whoops.

[Ashley Johnson]

I missed everything.

[Matthew Mercer]

It's a squid. It's okay. The two zivily razor hands towards each other. And a bit of flame and energy passes between their two hands. And then sinks into these five bodies on the ground which begin to melt and bubble. And it starts to rise up. And a form pushes out of these melting cultists. Worm cultists. And you see a. A nightmare sopping with flesh and viscera appear huge dark sunken eyes. And a black void where the mouth is. And white. What are those white millipede creatures that are so unsettling? That kind of flesh, large pincer like legs stretch out. And standing up higher than these two twins. This thing pushes up and dead body just slops away. As this arcane ring on the ground goes. Let's bring out the map.

[Laura Bailey]

Ooh.

[Matthew Mercer]

And let's roll. Initiative. Ooh.

[Laura Bailey]

Initiative. Roll as bad as last time?

[Sam Riegel]

Yeah. Come on.

[Laura Bailey]

No. Let's roll worse.

[Sam Riegel]

No way.

[Ashley Johnson]

No.

[Laura Bailey]

Natural one baby.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

Oh my.

[Matthew Mercer]

What is this?

[Taliesin Jaffe]

Get rid of that dice. Get rid of that dice.

[Laura Bailey]

No, I have to stick to it. I have to make it work.

[Matthew Mercer]

She's so cute.

[Laura Bailey]

It's rolled so poorly. Now it can only help me.

[Matthew Mercer]

Oh, we have Mini. Look at me. Oh my God. Should I get out of the way?

[Laura Bailey]

I can help on this side.

[Sam Riegel]

Oh my God, that's a.

[Ashley Johnson]

That's so cute.

[Laura Bailey]

Oh, nice.

[Matthew Mercer]

Is it coming through here or.

[Sam Riegel]

I think.

[Matthew Mercer]

Oh. Oh, wow.

[Laura Bailey]

All righty. Come here.

[Liam O'Brien]

Got it.

[Ashley Johnson]

Oh, it's heavy.

[Laura Bailey]

Oh, that's awesome.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

Beautiful.

[Matthew Mercer]

All right, so the stair. Even though I got plan here, I'll say the. This. This is the top of a stair.

[Laura Bailey]

So it'd be like, up here.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

All right, that's where we are.

[Matthew Mercer]

Here's your two buddies.

[Liam O'Brien]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Yes, please.

[Sam Riegel]

They're so far up.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

Oh, no. Where's this creature?

[Liam O'Brien]

Where is this creature? Oh, I'm gonna be.

[Laura Bailey]

I had the book and went, no, I think I'm a little.

[Sam Riegel]

Yeah.

[Liam O'Brien]

Taking a stand the nights ago.

[Matthew Mercer]

Oh, that's the thing.

[Liam O'Brien]

That is the nightmare. Oh.

[Marisha Ray]

What?

[Matthew Mercer]

Look how beautiful.

[Ashley Johnson]

Matt, what did you roll?

[Laura Bailey]

Initial one.

[Ashley Johnson]

Because I'm a criminal and I have the alert feature. I can swap initiative with you. You want my 17?

[Matthew Mercer]

Cool.

[Laura Bailey]

But you'd be so much better at going first, though.

[Ashley Johnson]

Are you sure?

[Laura Bailey]

I'm good.

[Ashley Johnson]

I can go.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

I can go.

[Ashley Johnson]

Laz, I got you.

[Laura Bailey]

Catchy. Let me wallow. I appreciate this.

[Matthew Mercer]

All right, did we roll our initiative?

[Sam Riegel]

Yes, we did.

[Matthew Mercer]

All right, did anyone get over 20? 15 to 20?

[Ashley Johnson]

Yes.

[Matthew Mercer]

Okay, I got a 17, so 17. Did anyone get 10 to 15?

[Sam Riegel]

I did 14.

[Matthew Mercer]

Oh, never mind.

[Liam O'Brien]

I got natural 20.

[Matthew Mercer]

Natural 20?

[Liam O'Brien]

Yeah. Sorry.

[Matthew Mercer]

Yeah.

[Laura Bailey]

On the Caleb dice, It'll be a.

[Matthew Mercer]

21 total for you, Arox Emiri, then you got 15. You said taller.

[Sam Riegel]

I got 14.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

I got 14. Which means we roll these.

[Sam Riegel]

I got two decks. Plus two decks.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

I have. Plus two decks. Let's roll it.

[Matthew Mercer]

Let's roll it. We're good.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

Break up.

[Sam Riegel]

15.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

11.

[Matthew Mercer]

Mimi.

[Liam O'Brien]

I win.

[Sam Riegel]

I win, I win, I win.

[Liam O'Brien]

Is that a competition?

[Matthew Mercer]

But it was still fun to win competition. Okay, didn't we get five to ten? We get the one less than five.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

Yes.

[Laura Bailey]

Three.

[Matthew Mercer]

Three. Okay, down. Down there. Okay.

[Laura Bailey]

Yeah, I'm fine.

[Matthew Mercer]

Okay.

[Liam O'Brien]

I want to see what you look like.

[Matthew Mercer]

All right, well, at the top of this encounter, Aerox, you are up here surrounded by Argonian ruins in the jungles of the Isle of Solstice at the farthest southern point of Tamrael. How are you kicking this off?

[Liam O'Brien]

Oh, shit. This is my fucking backyard, y'all. Listen, I know these jungles have been here before, so what I am going to do is. Hold on. Wait, wait. I already use her.

[Sam Riegel]

He's saying meow.

[Liam O'Brien]

I do. I do sing meow.

[Laura Bailey]

Did you reset everything after a long rest?

[Liam O'Brien]

I did not.

[Sam Riegel]

Oh, you must do that.

[Liam O'Brien]

Reset. You will Be very.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

Yes, yes, yes. You get everything back.

[Laura Bailey]

There you go. It's now all your spells, your bucket to full health. Listen, you got all your spells and.

[Sam Riegel]

You also have five extra hit points that will take note of.

[Laura Bailey]

Yeah, we should do that.

[Sam Riegel]

Max inputs.

[Liam O'Brien]

Oh yes.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

So we include five.

[Liam O'Brien]

Now five.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

And then. Now you have it.

[Liam O'Brien]

Now you have it. Awesome.

[Laura Bailey]

Sorry.

[Liam O'Brien]

No, no, no, you're good, you're good.

[Sam Riegel]

Yeah, yeah.

[Laura Bailey]

I want to get you ready.

[Liam O'Brien]

Ah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. I am first going to cast a lightning sphere.

[Matthew Mercer]

Oh.

[Liam O'Brien]

Mm, mm. Because how far is this thing from me? This, this, this.

[Matthew Mercer]

You're here.

[Liam O'Brien]

Uh huh.

[Matthew Mercer]

This thing?

[Liam O'Brien]

Mm.

[Laura Bailey]

60 or so feet.

[Matthew Mercer]

A little 60 or just beyond 60ft. Okay.

[Laura Bailey]

That range is about 60ft. You can move a little closer in case.

[Liam O'Brien]

But if you want I should. Yes, yes, yes. I would like to move a tad bit closer when I run up on our little friend here and cast lightning sphere. All right. And hopefully it will do some sort of damage.

[Matthew Mercer]

Okay.

[Liam O'Brien]

Do I need to.

[Matthew Mercer]

So what do you do?

[Laura Bailey]

You go ahead and bring this up here. All right. So yeah, so you create. You're summoning this. This is the.

[Liam O'Brien]

Yeah, yeah. This is my lightning sphere. So this is a summoning spell. So what I would like to do is create this orb of lightning, almost very Dragon Ball Z style, and in the style of Goku, shoot this lightning bolt or this lightning sphere at our new friend here.

[Matthew Mercer]

All right.

[Liam O'Brien]

And hopefully give him a piece of his own medicine.

[Matthew Mercer]

All right.

[Laura Bailey]

So that actually lands. It's a concentration.

[Matthew Mercer]

Concentration. Okay.

[Laura Bailey]

It's like other sphere spells that get summoned and stay.

[Matthew Mercer]

And is that. Hold on.

[Laura Bailey]

It's a DC14 dex save.

[Matthew Mercer]

Yeah, it definitely beats that. I rolled a 19.

[Laura Bailey]

Okay, so it takes half damage.

[Matthew Mercer]

Okay. Okay. Okay.

[Liam O'Brien]

Yeah.

[Laura Bailey]

So go ahead and roll the damage on his 96. Where is it? Oh wait, this one there. Yeah, roll that three times.

[Liam O'Brien]

Three, Two, two.

[Laura Bailey]

So seven.

[Matthew Mercer]

Seven, seven. All right, describe to me how this magical attack appears.

[Liam O'Brien]

This magical attack appears like two orbs in my hand and I just sort of mash together and it becomes one big orb and almost like a soccer ball just sort of rolls and lands right on top of their head.

[Matthew Mercer]

It slams into its skull with these strange almost bone like protrusions from the side of its head. Knocks it down and the face recoils up and it just wails happily. But you definitely hit that thing.

[Liam O'Brien]

Guys, I feel like I picked the fight the first time and it didn't go well for me. So we're turning it around.

[Sam Riegel]

Yes, yes.

[Matthew Mercer]

But zet brings us to. Oh, that brings us to Amiri.

[Liam O'Brien]

Oh, nice.

[Sam Riegel]

But that's lightning.

[Ashley Johnson]

Okay, can I get up and move?

[Matthew Mercer]

Absolutely.

[Ashley Johnson]

So, yeah. Yeah. I am this little cat jester. Each of these is 5.

[Matthew Mercer]

Yeah.

[Ashley Johnson]

So I'm gonna go 5, 10, 15, 20, 20, 25, 30. And I can move double my speed. I can climb at a speed of 20 as well. So with 30 left, can I go? Can I go 5, 10, 15, 20?

[Matthew Mercer]

Oh, yeah, sure. You're a cat.

[Sam Riegel]

Oh, my gosh.

[Matthew Mercer]

You just kind of run up and then catch with those kitty claws at the last second.

[Ashley Johnson]

And you see at this point, her toes probably pop out the front of her little jester booty so she can scramble up the tree. So that's my movement. I am going to take aim at. Which one of these brothers is more scary?

[Matthew Mercer]

This is Zivalai with a long ponytail, the one that is a little more gaunt. This is the big beefcake, as told by the battlefield.

[Ashley Johnson]

Not gonna go for this.

[Matthew Mercer]

Zivaran Naravix.

[Ashley Johnson]

Zivaran.

[Sam Riegel]

Got it.

[Ashley Johnson]

I'm going to train my bow on Zivaran.

[Matthew Mercer]

All right.

[Ashley Johnson]

And try to hit. And as I do so, I'm going to attempt to poison him with my sneak attack. Does a 15 hit?

[Matthew Mercer]

A 15 does hit.

[Liam O'Brien]

Nice.

[Matthew Mercer]

Just. Yes.

[Ashley Johnson]

Okay. So that you see me deftly take out the arrow, coat it in poison, seamlessly shoot, does 7, 13, 16 piercing damage, and then it must make a DC or it has to make a constitution saving throw. And on a fifth save, it's poisoned.

[Matthew Mercer]

And that's on your arrow, right?

[Ashley Johnson]

Yes. Yeah.

[Matthew Mercer]

Arrow sinks it right into his peck, and rather than roll a save, instead, he stares at you and rips it out.

[Ashley Johnson]

As he does that, I bonus action. Hide.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

What did you roll? And it didn't do anything.

[Ashley Johnson]

He's poison. He's immune to poison. Yeah, he's immune to poison. I say to everybody, he's immune to poison. And I try to hide in the boughs of the tree. 12. I normally roll so much better than that on stealths.

[Matthew Mercer]

Okay. All right. Right. All right. That brings us to Talidor.

[Sam Riegel]

Okay. I would like to move forward to get within 60ft of the two brothers. What is the easiest path to get to that? Is it like this? 5, 10? Is this difficult terrain?

[Matthew Mercer]

That is. This is not.

[Sam Riegel]

Okay. 5, 10, 15. Am I within 60ft here?

[Matthew Mercer]

Yeah, I think so.

[Sam Riegel]

Okay. I am going to bonus action, do the innate sorcery that increases my dc, and then I'm going to quicken spell a level three hold person, which gives Me two targets. The two of them. Okay. They have to succeed on a wisdom saving throw. DC 16.

[Matthew Mercer]

Okay. Wisdom. Okay. This is a straight roll for both of them. Zivaran rolled a 16 on the nose and Naravix rolled an 8.

[Sam Riegel]

An 8.

[Matthew Mercer]

Okay. Naravix is.

[Sam Riegel]

He is hell locked in place. And it is like a. It's as if a charge of static electricity starts just envelops him and it's keeping him held in place. And it crackles every now and then. That is my. I quickened spelled. So that was my bonus action. And from there I'm going to as my action, strike him with a lightning blast. It's a cantrip. I have advantage on this attack and I'm going after him.

[Matthew Mercer]

Okay.

[Sam Riegel]

And I'll take the nat20 on that.

[Matthew Mercer]

Yeah, sure. Let's do that.

[Sam Riegel]

Yes. Even though he's paralyzed. So it would have been a crit anyway, actually, but I'll take it.

[Matthew Mercer]

It feels better to hit the 20.

[Sam Riegel]

Yes. Yes, it does. It is going to be. It's. How do we do crits at this table? Is it double dice or do.

[Matthew Mercer]

Is there a max? You roll the dice.

[Sam Riegel]

Dice.

[Matthew Mercer]

Double it. And then add the modifiers. Aha.

[Sam Riegel]

Great. So 2D 10. That's 10 plus 6.

[Matthew Mercer]

I'll take it.

[Sam Riegel]

So 16.

[Laura Bailey]

32.

[Sam Riegel]

32. And there is no modifier for my fire bolt. Unless that's part of the SO32.

[Matthew Mercer]

SO32.

[Sam Riegel]

Yes.

[Laura Bailey]

32 damage. Firebolt.

[Sam Riegel]

Yes. The lightning bolt. Lightning flavor.

[Laura Bailey]

Lightning bolt.

[Ashley Johnson]

You were mad at him. I'm here for him.

[Matthew Mercer]

You just plucked a massive amount of fire at this guy. It streaks through the jungle underneath. Emeri blasts into the guy, and you watch as it just goes. No effect.

[Liam O'Brien]

Wow.

[Matthew Mercer]

He's frozen in place. But you see, no burn character.

[Sam Riegel]

Oh, it's a lightning bolt.

[Matthew Mercer]

Oh, it's lightning bolt.

[Sam Riegel]

Well, I mean, my fire bolt is flavored as lightning.

[Matthew Mercer]

For then we'll say that it's. Then we're saying it's electricity. And I redact that and he instead does blacken. And it creeps up his body and there is now black scorched, almost like veins or seaweed pattern up his whole body.

[Ashley Johnson]

When electricity hitting, he should wear a shirt.

[Sam Riegel]

So that was 30 lightning sorcerer.

[Matthew Mercer]

Their weakness.

[Laura Bailey]

That's the weakness.

[Matthew Mercer]

So that was 32 total.

[Sam Riegel]

I was.

[Matthew Mercer]

That was 32 total.

[Sam Riegel]

32 total.

[Matthew Mercer]

Big guy. Naravix. Okay.

[Sam Riegel]

Yes.

[Matthew Mercer]

Okay.

[Sam Riegel]

I didn't know I was. What kind of insect.

[Matthew Mercer]

All right. Anything else?

[Sam Riegel]

That is my move. My bonus action and my action.

[Matthew Mercer]

So all set then?

[Sam Riegel]

All set. Hold.

[Laura Bailey]

You have efficiently utilized the entire action economy for one turn.

[Sam Riegel]

Wait, wait, wait. Hold, please. Hold, please.

[Matthew Mercer]

Wait for it.

[Sam Riegel]

I am checking something.

[Matthew Mercer]

Innate.

[Sam Riegel]

Innate. Hold on. Hold on. Where is it? Where is it? Innate sorcery. Oh, no. What the. I did two bonus actions. So innate sorcery is a bonus action. I hold person would have been my action. Then I couldn't have quickened spelled that. So I'll do that damage next turn.

[Matthew Mercer]

Okay, so. So. Just frozen in place.

[Sam Riegel]

Just frozen in place.

[Matthew Mercer]

We've rewinded in time. Frozen in place.

[Sam Riegel]

No, I'm trying to be fair. I realized that I did two bonus actions.

[Laura Bailey]

No, that's valid. That's valid.

[Ashley Johnson]

Write down your damage and.

[Sam Riegel]

Yeah, and I'll save it for next time when I hit him. Just kidding. Everyone crit on him.

[Liam O'Brien]

Just hit him.

[Sam Riegel]

And it's a crit automatic.

[Matthew Mercer]

All right. That brings us to proceed.

[Sam Riegel]

Try to play fair.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

That's me.

[Matthew Mercer]

That's you.

[Liam O'Brien]

This is right.

[Sam Riegel]

Come on down.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

Are we within 90ft of this thingy?

[Matthew Mercer]

What does that mean?

[Taliesin Jaffe]

The bug creature.

[Matthew Mercer]

Are you within 90ft of this?

[Laura Bailey]

Yes.

[Matthew Mercer]

Yes.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

All right. Great. And those dead bodies sloughed right off of him.

[Matthew Mercer]

Yes. That's goop.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

Greg. I'm going to. I'm going to save summon undead. So the spirit of one of those bodies floats up and out of it and becomes a ghostly entity.

[Matthew Mercer]

I'm sure we got a ghost. I'm sure we got a ghost. Is that a ghost? That's a. That's a horned hamster. There we go. This'll do for now.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

Yay. All right. Wonderful. Now I'm going to have this creepy little ghost.

[Matthew Mercer]

Yes. Just creepy little ghost.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

Which goes technically after my turn. So I'm gonna move over here. Right over here. So much stuff. And then I'm going to tell it to go and attack the held guy.

[Matthew Mercer]

The held guy. Okay.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

Yes, My ghost. Okay, So I cast this at four. Fourth level.

[Matthew Mercer]

All right. What kind of attack does your ghosty do?

[Taliesin Jaffe]

My ghost is going to deathly touch.

[Liam O'Brien]

Oh, no.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

And so he's going to melee attack him. But he gets twice because I cast it at fourth level.

[Matthew Mercer]

All right.

[Sam Riegel]

Oh, I think you have advantage on this.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

And I get advantage because he's held.

[Sam Riegel]

He's paralyzed.

[Laura Bailey]

And it's an auto crit because.

[Sam Riegel]

And it's not a crit if you hit natural 20. Wow. It's giving us crits.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

Okay, so the first.

[Sam Riegel]

What are you doing twice universe.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

The first one.

[Ashley Johnson]

The roller coaster of emotion.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

Hold on. Let me find my D8.s there we are. One D8. So six plus six is 12 on the first one.

[Matthew Mercer]

Okay.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

In a second. Oh, thank goodness. That was an advantage. So crit on the second one.

[Liam O'Brien]

Yeah.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

And that's 8 plus 6 is 14.

[Matthew Mercer]

Okay. Okay.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

Are you double damaging and yes I am. And he's frightened until the end of his next hurt.

[Matthew Mercer]

And frozen in place.

[Laura Bailey]

Frozen in place.

[Matthew Mercer]

Frightened of the ghost.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

Ghost maybe, I'm not sure.

[Matthew Mercer]

Not you. The ghost.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

He's frightened. It just says.

[Matthew Mercer]

Okay, well, you see this.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

So he's really mentally suffering.

[Ashley Johnson]

Yes, he's frightened and he can't run his exposure theory.

[Sam Riegel]

This is very satisfying to see him frightened and paralyzed.

[Matthew Mercer]

It's his turn. It burns, he loses it. He gets to try to break free of your hold of to break free.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

And I'm going to make my ghost fly up and away. So it's going to fly 40ft up into the air.

[Matthew Mercer]

What's the D.C. 16. Roll a 15. So straight up in the air you.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

Say sure, why not?

[Matthew Mercer]

Sure, why not?

[Sam Riegel]

16. Because of my neat soul swing.

[Matthew Mercer]

Oh my goodness.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

Looking so ghostly and kind of cute.

[Liam O'Brien]

Move forward.

[Matthew Mercer]

Oh dear. How's that? Is that all right? Is that high enough or do you want higher than that?

[Taliesin Jaffe]

That's lovely. 40 is technically. But you don't have to do it. I'll know.

[Matthew Mercer]

Do we have that over here?

[Taliesin Jaffe]

You don't want him to fall.

[Matthew Mercer]

That sounds little stickies.

[Sam Riegel]

It's pretty good.

[Matthew Mercer]

Good. That's perfect. There we go.

[Liam O'Brien]

Yes, it's all good.

[Matthew Mercer]

I'm king of the world. All right.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

He waves at me and I wave back.

[Matthew Mercer]

All right. The ghost, the spirit is hovering over an ancient Argonian ruin. Here on this island, Naravix Arunar is frozen in place. The mind terror will now act.

[Laura Bailey]

Doesn't mind being terror.

[Matthew Mercer]

Let's see. Let's see. See? It moves quicker than you would anticipate. And it's white, pale, disgusting. Sharp arms go. And it just.

[Liam O'Brien]

Do not like it don't improve.

[Matthew Mercer]

20, 25, 30, 35.

[Sam Riegel]

Oh my gosh.

[Matthew Mercer]

Oh, yeah.

[Laura Bailey]

Help.

[Liam O'Brien]

Help, Help.

[Laura Bailey]

Help.

[Matthew Mercer]

And blindingly fast. Just. It is going to make three attacks on you with its pincers. First one is a definitely hits. That is 24 damage.

[Liam O'Brien]

That hits.

[Matthew Mercer]

Okay. Second one is a miss. That is a 10. And the third is also a 24. Okay, so it pierces your flesh twice. You take 13 and 13 on the first and 11 on the second as it runs through. Almost like someone is sticking a thin wound gangly spear or spine through you.

[Laura Bailey]

So as it strikes as I stand there trying to back away. The first one sinks into me, and the second one sinks into me. And the other side. I look up at it with that pain look in the eyes. And then green flares into the eyes as the power of Hermaeus Mora flows into me. And the runic fate woven armor that I had placed upon me before swirls around and blasts back these runic bits of forbidden arcana that tears into its body. And it takes 20 damage from each of those hits it did on me for 40 points of cold damage. So if it has any resistance to cold. But that's 40 points of cold damage.

[Sam Riegel]

Nope.

[Ashley Johnson]

Wow.

[Matthew Mercer]

What is that ability?

[Taliesin Jaffe]

Dope.

[Laura Bailey]

Well, it's fate woven armor. It's armor Magath. Fourth level. It's pretty good.

[Matthew Mercer]

Yeah, that's pretty.

[Sam Riegel]

That's very good.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

Pretty good.

[Liam O'Brien]

Pretty good.

[Laura Bailey]

People Give its flowers. Enough.

[Sam Riegel]

It's a great spell.

[Liam O'Brien]

All right.

[Matthew Mercer]

Okay, okay, okay, okay, okay, okay, okay. That's it. It just goes nonsensically devoid of sense.

[Laura Bailey]

You stand at the threshold of greatness. You will crumble to the dust from whence you came.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

Knock your shit.

[Sam Riegel]

Peep this zine.

[Laura Bailey]

I have plenty of copies.

[Matthew Mercer]

Just a newsletter before you leave, actually.

[Ashley Johnson]

Keep the Zen As.

[Matthew Mercer]

Okay. Zivaran starts off at a run. Catch up already, will you? He is going to run to here and leap. I'm going to have him. Make him do a little acrobatics. Check. That's cocked. That's also cocked. Come on. That's a two. He runs up into the air and tries to slice at you with the short sword that he has. That's right. That's what I got. Right. Long sword in his hand and manages to chop into the wood. And it catches and drags a bit. And he stumbles, lands down in the bushes here. And you hear.

[Laura Bailey]

Hell, yeah.

[Matthew Mercer]

And then a blast of fire shoots out of that bush and streaks towards you. Talidor. No, that'll probably hit for a 20.

[Sam Riegel]

I will. Yeah. That hits.

[Matthew Mercer]

I will.

[Laura Bailey]

Yeah.

[Matthew Mercer]

That hits.

[Liam O'Brien]

I will not.

[Sam Riegel]

You know that.

[Matthew Mercer]

You take 713 points of your damage. Okay, that is it for Zivaran. That gets us to Niskan. Because that was just your schmancy. That was like a reaction.

[Laura Bailey]

That was just from taking damage.

[Matthew Mercer]

Your Hermes pants.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

Nice.

[Matthew Mercer]

All right, you up?

[Laura Bailey]

I'm up.

[Matthew Mercer]

You're up.

[Laura Bailey]

I have a turn. Oh, my God. All right. So this entity in front of me, it took those heavy hits. How? I mean, is it looking like it's been the biggie?

[Matthew Mercer]

Big.

[Laura Bailey]

Yeah.

[Sam Riegel]

Pretty.

[Matthew Mercer]

He's all right.

[Laura Bailey]

He's all right, Tomoy. All right. I'm saying I'm going to shut up. All the green glow in the eyes is still semi present. Not fully faded, I hope. Take the other ones. This one and me are going to dance. As a bonus action, I'm going to go ahead and utilize my awakened mind to make a psychic connection. If there is a mind there to connect to. Okay.

[Matthew Mercer]

Wow. Okay.

[Ashley Johnson]

Deep question.

[Sam Riegel]

Yeah.

[Matthew Mercer]

Give me the mechanics of this so I can interpret it.

[Laura Bailey]

The awakened mind is a bonus action. I can choose one creature I can see within 30ft.

[Matthew Mercer]

Yes.

[Laura Bailey]

And communicate with each other.

[Matthew Mercer]

Okay.

[Laura Bailey]

Do I feel there's any intelligence with this?

[Matthew Mercer]

Yeah. But it's more raw. Right. So it definitely can feel you prying into it and is more curious and turned on by the intrusion.

[Laura Bailey]

Right. So the ability I'm doing along with this is called Clairvoyant Combatant, more or less. I'm reading its impulses the moment it tries to make an attack.

[Matthew Mercer]

Yes.

[Laura Bailey]

So then once I've bonded with it, it's almost like it's touching not something alien, something that is deeply corroded and false falling apart. So it's like touching a piece of mold that's slippery. But as soon as it starts to shift, I prepare myself to move with it. As it does so, with that connection there, its attacks against me have disadvantage. But attacks against it have advantage.

[Matthew Mercer]

Have advantage. Understood. Understood. Love that.

[Laura Bailey]

That's my bonus action. Mark that there. And then as spell, I'm going to go ahead and unleash a torrent of runeblades, which is my blasts of eldritch nature, towards its direction. Now it is in. Is it melee? Melee. Range of it means it's going to be disadvantage on the attacks for me, but I have advantage on it. So it would be a straight roll, probably.

[Matthew Mercer]

Yeah.

[Laura Bailey]

So no, I want to go full in. I'm going to try and move around it and basically get 25, 30ft towards where you are.

[Matthew Mercer]

Did you already use a bonus action, by the way?

[Laura Bailey]

I did.

[Matthew Mercer]

Oh, okay.

[Laura Bailey]

So I'm gonna try to move 1, 2, 3, 4. Actually 5, 6 over there. I'll probably get an attack or an opportunity to attack a boss. So right there.

[Matthew Mercer]

13 misses. 13 misses mellow.

[Sam Riegel]

Too slow.

[Matthew Mercer]

All right.

[Laura Bailey]

Feeling good, Feeling good. And then as it turns around, I'm gonna whip around and release two. Two blasts of raw alien arcana out of the ether around me and throw it towards the creature. Advantage in each of these attacks. First one is going to be. Ooh, that's good. 27 to hit.

[Matthew Mercer]

Oh yeah. Oh yeah.

[Laura Bailey]

Roll a 19. And the other is going to be a 19 to hit.

[Matthew Mercer]

Misses.

[Laura Bailey]

Oh, but I got one. That's good to know. Oh God.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

What was it?

[Sam Riegel]

19. 19 on the big guy. Correct.

[Laura Bailey]

But that is gonna be a 13 points of damage.

[Matthew Mercer]

Okay. Okay.

[Laura Bailey]

My confidence immediately begins to fade. I'm like okay, Hunter, hit 100.

[Sam Riegel]

You said you got him.

[Laura Bailey]

You said you. I totally got him. That's my turn.

[Matthew Mercer]

Quill is floating there. I know you hear in your minds. Together. Everyone together. And a streak, a small mote of green rapidly moving energy goes out of Quill's eye and strikes toward that creature cocked. Come on.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

Is that Ashley's day?

[Matthew Mercer]

No, it's this one. It's this one that misses together.

[Marisha Ray]

Is one.

[Matthew Mercer]

Sinks down into the bush.

[Ashley Johnson]

Good baby spell.

[Liam O'Brien]

Yeah.

[Matthew Mercer]

That gets us back to top of the round. You were up.

[Ashley Johnson]

If that monstrosity at any class you would have pretended we would have been like, oh, that hurts so bad. Yeah, really good spell.

[Liam O'Brien]

How far is Zivran from me? He's fell in the bush, right?

[Matthew Mercer]

He's here.

[Liam O'Brien]

Yeah.

[Matthew Mercer]

5, 10, 15, 20. 20. Fell right on the cusp of 30. If you take a couple steps forward so that you're not underneath the ooggity boogity.

[Liam O'Brien]

Yeah, I'm gonna take a couple steps forward like there. And I was going to cast lightning bolt at zevaron which goes 100ft.

[Matthew Mercer]

Yeah.

[Liam O'Brien]

And so I'm just gonna open my mouth. And it's never opened as wide before. And this tongue that comes out of me just shoots the biggest lightning bolt the eyes have ever seen. And everything kind of goes white for like.05 seconds.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

You with lightning bolt. If you're in front of the bug, you can line it up and you.

[Matthew Mercer]

Get both and you did them both.

[Liam O'Brien]

Yeah.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

Yeah. Cuz it goes straight through.

[Sam Riegel]

It goes straight through the next. Just don't hit me.

[Liam O'Brien]

Yeah, I resend that. And I'm going to move that towards the bug.

[Matthew Mercer]

We help new players here. Yeah. I think like so if you go hereish.

[Sam Riegel]

Yeah, that's. That should be fine. That'll get them here.

[Matthew Mercer]

Ish. Maybe right there. Yeah, it's.

[Sam Riegel]

It's like a two piece and a biscuit, baby.

[Matthew Mercer]

And that's two decks for both of them.

[Laura Bailey]

Correct.

[Matthew Mercer]

What's the spell save that?

[Liam O'Brien]

Deck's 14.

[Sam Riegel]

As your sorcerer friend one more time remind you that you can use a bonus action to initiate innate sorcery. And it will increase your DC by 1.

[Ashley Johnson]

Just to increase your chance.

[Sam Riegel]

Yeah, I think that's a 20.

[Liam O'Brien]

24 boom.

[Sam Riegel]

Or that bonus action.

[Laura Bailey]

Oh, yeah, yeah.

[Liam O'Brien]

This boom.

[Laura Bailey]

All right.

[Matthew Mercer]

I never do this. I'm gonna roll in front of the table for the Mind Terror. It's very fast. That is a 13 plus 5 is 18. It pushes itself up high on its pin prick little legs. And then the second gross is not as fast. That's not gonna do it. That is a nine plus two, which does not do. So Zimaron takes full blast.

[Laura Bailey]

So that's 8D6. Roll this four times, sucker. Ooh.

[Matthew Mercer]

So that's nine.

[Liam O'Brien]

Nine plus 12. That's 12, 17, and 21.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

Good, dude.

[Matthew Mercer]

Nice. 21 is the max.

[Liam O'Brien]

The.

[Matthew Mercer]

The max for us. Okay, so that's half of that first halved for the Mind Terror. And full blast of electricity arcs along stone and plant life, obliterates this bush.

[Laura Bailey]

Yeah.

[Matthew Mercer]

Explodes in vegetation. And he gets lit up and stumbles back into the stone. His whole face is now blackened and parts of his hair are starting to.

[Marisha Ray]

Smoke a little bit.

[Liam O'Brien]

I stare at him in Balenciaga.

[Matthew Mercer]

Okay, all right, all right. He's looking a little worse for wear.

[Liam O'Brien]

Could be better.

[Matthew Mercer]

The twins are looking a little worse for wear. That gets us up to Emiri.

[Ashley Johnson]

Okay, I'm sorry.

[Matthew Mercer]

Oh, yeah.

[Ashley Johnson]

This guy is scaring me because he's near all of my friends and I don't have that many.

[Liam O'Brien]

Oh, you're still in the tree.

[Ashley Johnson]

I can't knock him over because he's too big, but I can slow him if I hit him. Emeri uses her bonus action to. Sorry, I went into full. Rst mode there, where you talk in third person.

[Laura Bailey]

It's good.

[Matthew Mercer]

She's like, it's fine.

[Ashley Johnson]

I'm gonna use my bonus action to cast magic weapon on my longbow just to give me the best chance of hitting it. And then if I don't move, I can steady my aim and get advantage on this attack.

[Matthew Mercer]

Nice.

[Ashley Johnson]

I'm gonna say that's a nine. So that's a 14 for the first one, which I don't think is.

[Matthew Mercer]

We're going after big Bug, big man. Yeah.

[Ashley Johnson]

Oh, what is that?

[Matthew Mercer]

That's.

[Ashley Johnson]

That's a six plus five. Eleven.

[Matthew Mercer]

I don't think that hits me skittering out of the way.

[Ashley Johnson]

Yeah. So it goes wide. That's my turn. I just rolled really poorly. I rolled a four and a six.

[Laura Bailey]

Oh, you had your heroic inspiration. If you wanted to use it. No, I didn't give you.

[Ashley Johnson]

No, I used it.

[Laura Bailey]

You did use it.

[Sam Riegel]

Yeah.

[Ashley Johnson]

You didn't give me one. Cause I flipped you off with your paw.

[Laura Bailey]

You mean rub it in?

[Matthew Mercer]

You can use your.

[Laura Bailey]

Oh, wait, I didn't give it to you.

[Matthew Mercer]

You did explode a test tube in midair from 60ft earlier.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

I did.

[Ashley Johnson]

I did.

[Matthew Mercer]

Pluses and minuses. That jumps us to Tal'dor.

[Sam Riegel]

Okay, question.

[Matthew Mercer]

Yes?

[Sam Riegel]

The landscape here, this rock formation, that sort of cliff, little thing that. Yeah. What I'm looking for is, is it low enough for me to be able to make a line between the two brushes? I think they have to be within five feet. The streak of lightning.

[Matthew Mercer]

That's what I'll tell you. If you want to run and do some doves in slow motion, dive to the side and do. Give me an acrobatics check and blast as you're diving over this rock so that you're down here to go. I'll allow it. But you have to make yourself prone.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

In order to do it.

[Laura Bailey]

Yeah.

[Matthew Mercer]

Acrobatics. Acrobatics check. Oh, I need some Chow Yun Fat sorcerer action.

[Sam Riegel]

Yikes. I'll give you that. Acrobatics check. Come on, baby. Come on.

[Ashley Johnson]

Pretend you're a cat.

[Liam O'Brien]

The Whammies.

[Matthew Mercer]

The Whammies.

[Sam Riegel]

The Whammies.

[Matthew Mercer]

Ooh.

[Sam Riegel]

Maybe I'll use my heroic inspiration on that. It's right now a 13.

[Matthew Mercer]

13 is enough for me. So if you're high, then I will. All right. You slam into the ground.

[Liam O'Brien]

Yes.

[Matthew Mercer]

I get down low enough. I'm going to give you two points of bludgeoning damage as you strike stone. The spell goes off and lines through Zivaron's head and onward to his twin.

[Sam Riegel]

Yes. So it is a. It's now my liquid lightning that I'm shooting out. And it is A spell save. D.C. a dex save of 16.

[Matthew Mercer]

Okay. All right. Gnarovik's gonna auto fail. Cause he's frozen in place. Zevaron. Zevaron. Got a natural one. Whoa.

[Marisha Ray]

Wow.

[Matthew Mercer]

Okay, so on the same fucking die.

[Laura Bailey]

Or is it a. It's a dc.

[Sam Riegel]

Oh, it's a dc.

[Laura Bailey]

DC then.

[Sam Riegel]

Oh, you're right.

[Matthew Mercer]

It's not a credit.

[Laura Bailey]

So it's a good looking out.

[Sam Riegel]

Yes. Okay, great. So. So 8.8D 6, I think is what we just rolled, right?

[Liam O'Brien]

Yeah.

[Sam Riegel]

86. You take 3. Plus 11 is 14. That's 2.

[Liam O'Brien]

4.

[Sam Riegel]

Plus 5 is 19. 2, 4, 6. I'm really bad at all this. Plus 5. So that's 24 points of lightning damage to each of them.

[Matthew Mercer]

24 total locked up beefcake. Naravix goes after it, shoots through his twin, and he is frozen and slumping. He looks real bad. Real bad. Zvaran is holding on a little bit better. Anything else?

[Sam Riegel]

E, I think that is. That's my action. Do I have enough movement to stand up after that? You do, then I'm gonna.

[Matthew Mercer]

Can't go anywhere. But you can get up.

[Sam Riegel]

I will get up and hold position there.

[Laura Bailey]

Let's go.

[Matthew Mercer]

Talidor gets to Procine.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

That's me.

[Matthew Mercer]

That's you.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

Okay. I am going to. Yes. I'm going to reach out my hand and above the head of this mind creature, it's going to wring out and do some necrotic damage to him with a toe of the dead. That's a wisdom save, though.

[Matthew Mercer]

Okay, well, you went a little ab fab there for a second. I'm gonna change my D20.

[Liam O'Brien]

Yeah.

[Matthew Mercer]

Nope, real bad. I rolled a five plus. Crap.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

Okay, so that's two D12 damage.

[Liam O'Brien]

Yes.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

All right. Whoa. Five plus seven is 12. 12, 12 total 12 points of damage.

[Matthew Mercer]

All right. The bone mantle that is sort of flaying out from its head starts to fray and melt underneath that. It is looking more horrific from your work. You had another thing.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

Yes. I'm going to. Misty, step up into the tree right here.

[Matthew Mercer]

All right.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

High up into the tree, Pam, high.

[Matthew Mercer]

On the hill, there's a big old house. There you are.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

Oh, lovely.

[Ashley Johnson]

I wave.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

And then my ghosty is going to fly down and to the held.

[Matthew Mercer]

Okay.

[Liam O'Brien]

Yes.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

Reach right into his chest. Just ghost the fuck out of it.

[Matthew Mercer]

So.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

Oh, that's an 18 plus plus.

[Matthew Mercer]

Yes, yes, yes.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

Okay, so that's a crit. Right? Right. So six plus six is 12 points. Oh, wait, that's 12 plus six is 18 points.

[Matthew Mercer]

18 on Naravix the spirits. This dead worm cultist who has spent dedicated his life to pulling dead things up from the ground is now himself dead and reaching into this zivilized chest and pulling. And you're seeing viscera and spirit energy pull out of him as he just goes. The blue skin goes baby blue and he just is pale and barely standing.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

Oh, he's still standing. All right, I'll do it again. Yes. That's 17.

[Matthew Mercer]

Yes.

[Sam Riegel]

Hit plus.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

Oh, sorry. Two plus six is eight points of necrotic damage.

[Matthew Mercer]

Okay. Blood starts pouring down his nose and he's starting to look terrified.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

He's not dead yet.

[Ashley Johnson]

Wow. I'm so happy you cast hell person on him. Because the amount of punishment he's taken tells me he would have done a lot of punishment to us.

[Matthew Mercer]

Is that all for you?

[Taliesin Jaffe]

Well, let me see if my little guy, he can do anything else Reach into his chest. Yes, I know. Huh. Well, he can only do ghosty attacks.

[Laura Bailey]

Don't waste the action. Economy on your turn.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

But I'm going to have him just float back up 40ft in case ghosty. Yeah, in case beefcake. Oh, you know what? He's going to float kind of 40ft up and over to where if held guy dies. And he'll have access to the other here.

[Ashley Johnson]

Yes.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

Right.

[Matthew Mercer]

All right.

[Laura Bailey]

Valid.

[Matthew Mercer]

Good hall. You can see Narvik's going like as it travels. Because he's still scared. He's turn is burned again. He will try to break free. He doesn't do it. He is still held in place. I rolled an as. That gets us to.

[Sam Riegel]

I hold really nice. I give good hold.

[Ashley Johnson]

Amazing.

[Matthew Mercer]

The mind terror quickly, rapidly sort of turns and plays.

[Laura Bailey]

Oh, no.

[Sam Riegel]

Oh, no.

[Matthew Mercer]

And rushes at Aerox.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

Oh, well.

[Liam O'Brien]

Oh, good God.

[Matthew Mercer]

Is that what we're gonna do? No, I'm gonna do something grosser. Skitters over this way. And you watch as its jaw drops. No.

[Laura Bailey]

Don't like it.

[Matthew Mercer]

A stream of shadow like vomit paints the jungle floor. Splatters over you. Niskan as well as Talidor. Oh, yes.

[Ashley Johnson]

That's a lot of vomit.

[Liam O'Brien]

Dang it.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

I know.

[Matthew Mercer]

You are hit with a torrent of loathing. And I need both of you to make a wisdom save. Fifteen.

[Sam Riegel]

Wisdom. Fifteen. Okay.

[Ashley Johnson]

He's inflicted. He's inflicted with fear. You guys are inflicted with loathing.

[Sam Riegel]

Yeah, wisdom.

[Matthew Mercer]

15, you said let's get to Vegas. 15.

[Sam Riegel]

I fail.

[Laura Bailey]

What'd you get?

[Sam Riegel]

I got a three.

[Ashley Johnson]

Why do you sound happy?

[Laura Bailey]

Total of three.

[Sam Riegel]

Sound happy.

[Laura Bailey]

Don't sound happy.

[Sam Riegel]

That's my sad sound.

[Matthew Mercer]

I'm six.

[Liam O'Brien]

What does joy sound like?

[Matthew Mercer]

Your Tamriel heroes have the same reaction you do. You are suddenly filled with a terror in you. And you are struck with fear. Both of you struck with Terra.

[Sam Riegel]

Terra.

[Matthew Mercer]

Do you have a thing for you? Okay, that's. That's Mindy. That's mind Terror. That gets us too.

[Sam Riegel]

Do we take damage?

[Matthew Mercer]

No, no, never mind. Just disappeared.

[Sam Riegel]

I miss it?

[Matthew Mercer]

No, just that.

[Ashley Johnson]

Are they even looking? Oh, no.

[Liam O'Brien]

You're good. Sorry.

[Sam Riegel]

Did you do that at the same time?

[Taliesin Jaffe]

We just twins.

[Matthew Mercer]

And Zivily will take the. Zivilye will rush at you with his longsword as you are overcome with terror. Finally, a good roll. He definitely hits 18 plus stuff. The blade streaks out here and you take.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

Get it, King?

[Matthew Mercer]

10 points of piercing damage. Is the blade slashing damage? Slices.

[Ashley Johnson]

10.

[Matthew Mercer]

10. And then he turns and holds his hand out towards Niskan. And fire streaks out across the field. That end Niskan is so busy going like that, fire just goes over his head. That gets us to Uniskhan. Uniskhan.

[Laura Bailey]

My turn.

[Liam O'Brien]

Yes.

[Laura Bailey]

I am frightened, so I can't move closer to the target of my fear, which is the guy in front of me. And while he's in line of sight, I have disadvantage on any attack rolls, right? So as part of that, I'm going to go. Just go away. Leave us alone. I'm going to go ahead and pull out my tome and rapidly throw at it like I'm throwing my handbag at a Coltrus. I'm going to chuck a cast of Fate carver towards it, which is my dark variation of. Of the blight spell. So he has a constitution. 16 saved him.

[Matthew Mercer]

16. This is on.

[Laura Bailey]

This is on the creature I'm afraid.

[Matthew Mercer]

Of, which is on the mine terror.

[Laura Bailey]

The big old mine terror.

[Matthew Mercer]

Roll her a. Well, that is. It's a wisdom.

[Laura Bailey]

You said Constitution.

[Matthew Mercer]

Constitution. 19 total.

[Laura Bailey]

Okay, that makes it. All right. So for that'll be 4, 5, 11, 16, 24, 26, 32, 33 halved. So he takes 16 points.

[Matthew Mercer]

Okay, okay, okay. All right. The thing does not seem fearful, upset, deterred. But it is Herky jerkily breaking down a bit. Still on the aggressive attack mode. Anything else, Niskan? No.

[Laura Bailey]

I'm going to move a little bit further away from it. Just like five feet. I'm just going to go. That's it. For no particular reason, you're doing the full stumble to the ground and back up.

[Matthew Mercer]

A streak. Ooh, we've rolled a 12 out of 12. 12. Plus a bolt of Hermaeus love juice comes streaking out of the bush over here, slams into the thing's face and just clear breaks. Blasts it in the face and breaks off one of those bony protruders.

[Laura Bailey]

That's why I follow him. For the love juice.

[Matthew Mercer]

The love juice. And in fact, part of the skull cap comes away too. And you see a black oily brain mass pulsing in there in a jagged little pocket. That gets us to Aerox Top.

[Laura Bailey]

Do I get to try and make a saving end of my turn for the fear? Or does it just you?

[Matthew Mercer]

No worries of Doc?

[Laura Bailey]

I just didn't know.

[Matthew Mercer]

Do I remember?

[Liam O'Brien]

Is Quill still hiding?

[Ashley Johnson]

I like how he went.

[Matthew Mercer]

He's at the end of your turn. End of your turn.

[Laura Bailey]

Okay, so can I try wisdom? Nope.

[Matthew Mercer]

No.

[Ashley Johnson]

Okay, we did talk about how was the dump stat.

[Laura Bailey]

Uh huh. I love me some low wisdom characters.

[Matthew Mercer]

All right.

[Sam Riegel]

They're Rocks.

[Liam O'Brien]

I was gonna say. Is Quill still hiding?

[Matthew Mercer]

Yes.

[Liam O'Brien]

God bless him.

[Matthew Mercer]

Good.

[Sam Riegel]

Yes, please.

[Laura Bailey]

Smartest of all of us.

[Liam O'Brien]

Yes. Truly. Truly, truly, truly. Listen, my lightning spear is still in play. So I was going to ride over to our good friend here.

[Sam Riegel]

Beautiful.

[Matthew Mercer]

And that's a save.

[Sam Riegel]

But she fails automatically. Because he's paralyzed.

[Matthew Mercer]

Because he's paralyzed.

[Liam O'Brien]

Because he's paralyzed.

[Laura Bailey]

So.

[Liam O'Brien]

Yeah.

[Laura Bailey]

3D6. Go ahead and roll it.

[Matthew Mercer]

Don't even bother. How do you want to do this?

[Liam O'Brien]

13.

[Laura Bailey]

Awesome.

[Liam O'Brien]

Yeah.

[Matthew Mercer]

Tell me about this Daedric chump's end.

[Liam O'Brien]

What's that? Say it.

[Matthew Mercer]

How does he die? How does it die? How's it feel?

[Sam Riegel]

Lightning ball engulfs him.

[Liam O'Brien]

Oh, I feel like classic. The lightning pierce a hole through his neck. And every hole in his body is just filling with light. And his mouth is filled with light, and his eyes are filled with light. And light is coming out of his nose and his ears. And just.

[Matthew Mercer]

Every cavity hole just lights up like a jack o lantern. And the hair turns to white fire until the body mine is a head. Just goes and lands into this still crackling sphere of energy and continues to burn up and smoke like a bug in a.

[Liam O'Brien]

Gone. Like a zapper.

[Laura Bailey]

A dirty Kurt Russell in a white tank top nearby going, dang Emiri.

[Ashley Johnson]

Okay.

[Matthew Mercer]

Tree cat Russell.

[Ashley Johnson]

I see my friend down there is in trouble, and I also have advantage. So I'm going to leap down from the boughs of the tree. And as I do so, I'm going to drape my rope over one of the branches.

[Matthew Mercer]

Okay, and where are we landing?

[Ashley Johnson]

On top of the other Zivaran.

[Matthew Mercer]

Yeah, it's Zivaran.

[Ashley Johnson]

Zivaran on top of Zivaran.

[Laura Bailey]

Yep.

[Ashley Johnson]

If I can pull this off. I'm gonna try. Let's see if I can pull it off.

[Sam Riegel]

That's so sexy.

[Ashley Johnson]

I get advantage on this. So dirty. 20.

[Matthew Mercer]

Yeah.

[Ashley Johnson]

Okay, let me know. I don't know if I am allowed to flavor it this way.

[Matthew Mercer]

Yes.

[Ashley Johnson]

Instead of tripping him prone, I want to hang him up by his feet like he did to us at the very beginning. So I just slip the rope with my sleight of hand underneath his feet. And like, I drape the other side. I pull down on the other side, and I just want to go and pull him up.

[Liam O'Brien]

Glorious.

[Matthew Mercer]

And that was. That was. And we did an attack roll to.

[Ashley Johnson]

I did a sneak attack.

[Matthew Mercer]

Sneak attack.

[Ashley Johnson]

Yeah.

[Matthew Mercer]

Oh, right. So it was higher. And so it comes with damage as well as they get lifted.

[Ashley Johnson]

Yeah, it'll do. I think it'll just do. The plain. Technically, I'm doing an unarmed attack. So my claws will do four damage to him.

[Matthew Mercer]

Four. I love it. I think that since this is a flavoring of a status, I'm gonna say that he doesn't go high. He just goes semi upside down with his face kind of half pressed into the ground and his legs up.

[Ashley Johnson]

Good.

[Laura Bailey]

That's even worse.

[Matthew Mercer]

And you just reach out and streak your hand across his semi prone body.

[Ashley Johnson]

Yes. So that's four. And then with the sneak attack damage, it's an additional nine.

[Matthew Mercer]

So 13 total. Hell yeah. He's pretty fucked up. He's still fighting. He's trying to wriggle out of this rope on him. But for the moment he's unable to obtain that. He's looking. They're both looking pretty bad. He's the only one who's showing recognition of that. This thing is down to clown. That brings us anything else besides that sick move.

[Ashley Johnson]

Can I bonus action to pull him up higher so I look him in the face?

[Matthew Mercer]

Yes. Got to. Got to do it. Yeah.

[Ashley Johnson]

I'm gonna bonus action. Pull him up higher and just do that thing he did to us where I just take my finger and push him.

[Matthew Mercer]

Push him and he swings. Love it.

[Laura Bailey]

On your turn. You just did the bonus action. Push on that. Did you do any other spell or action on your turn?

[Liam O'Brien]

I did not know.

[Matthew Mercer]

Wanna do it now?

[Laura Bailey]

So I was about to say you just slide an action on his turn if you wanted to cast something else.

[Matthew Mercer]

Yeah, throw it in there.

[Liam O'Brien]

Oh, well.

[Matthew Mercer]

Third in their guest of honor.

[Liam O'Brien]

Price is right. Come on down. Wait, who all is?

[Matthew Mercer]

Wait, wait, wait.

[Ashley Johnson]

That monstrosity is still in play, big boy.

[Liam O'Brien]

Oh my God. That's right.

[Sam Riegel]

Yeah, big thing.

[Liam O'Brien]

Jesus. Well, he appears to be quite in range of dragon's breath because that goes 100ft.

[Matthew Mercer]

Okay.

[Liam O'Brien]

And so in true fashion, my tail begins to glow. Woom woom woom. And the glow goes up my body and a straight lightning bolt pierces through him and perhaps hits the wall behind him.

[Matthew Mercer]

So that's a beautifully flavored dragon bolt. Dragon's breath.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

There's a bonus action.

[Liam O'Brien]

Oh, the bonus action.

[Matthew Mercer]

That's a bite rat.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

But you could do lightning bolt again and then you.

[Matthew Mercer]

And then just keep the same description.

[Liam O'Brien]

Well then we will do that lightning bolt twice.

[Matthew Mercer]

So Dex, save for buddy boys. It saved again.

[Liam O'Brien]

It. Yes.

[Matthew Mercer]

But it's still a lot of damage, so roll for damage.

[Liam O'Brien]

Okay.

[Laura Bailey]

Oh, this is for the D6s.

[Liam O'Brien]

Oh, the D sixes.

[Laura Bailey]

Roll that and this one. And roll that four times.

[Liam O'Brien]

This one. Four times.

[Laura Bailey]

Yeah. Correct.

[Liam O'Brien]

7.

[Ashley Johnson]

7.

[Liam O'Brien]

7. 15. Thank you. 19. 19 plus 7.

[Ashley Johnson]

26.

[Matthew Mercer]

Nice. 26. It's semi humanoid, semi insect like body just starts erupting. An ichor is bursting out everywhere. Where the body is erupting from your electricity, it is still pushing about like a broken toy that doesn't know that it is over, but it is still up. And that is the end of your action. Okay.

[Liam O'Brien]

Not the end of me, obviously.

[Laura Bailey]

You do.

[Liam O'Brien]

My heart will go on.

[Matthew Mercer]

Is it me? It is.

[Ashley Johnson]

Oh, okay.

[Sam Riegel]

Question, Matthew, you might know this.

[Liam O'Brien]

That's fine.

[Sam Riegel]

If I quicken a spell, does it matter if it's a cantrip that's quickened to a bonus or the first level spell that's quickened to a bonus?

[Matthew Mercer]

I can do any.

[Laura Bailey]

It doesn't matter. But you can only cast one non cantrip spell per turn.

[Sam Riegel]

So I can do a cantrip into leveled spell if one becomes a bonus action. Correct.

[Laura Bailey]

Great.

[Sam Riegel]

I just want to make sure that there wasn't any like you got to do one or the other. So here's what I'm going to do. This guy's dangling right in front of me. I am going to quicken spell. I'm going to grab him just as he had been doing. Or his brother, whoever it was that was making us pinatas.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

Basically.

[Sam Riegel]

It was him. I'm going to grab his face and I'm going to shockingly grasp him and then toss him the way that I guess his brother, whichever one of them did that to us.

[Matthew Mercer]

Sure.

[Sam Riegel]

Shocking grasp is a melee spell attack. Is he considered prone? So I have advantage on this. Great. It's going to be. Oh, natural 20.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

Yay.

[Ashley Johnson]

We've become the torturers now.

[Matthew Mercer]

We have.

[Laura Bailey]

Seriously?

[Sam Riegel]

Yes. So I'll bring him close to me and I'll look him in the eyes and I'll say, how do you like this? And shocking. Grasp his face and pinata him across. And it is 2d8 doubled, correct?

[Marisha Ray]

Yeah.

[Matthew Mercer]

8.

[Sam Riegel]

I think I'm all in the house.

[Matthew Mercer]

Oh, here they are.

[Sam Riegel]

Come on. That's 20 points of lightning damage.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

Wow.

[Matthew Mercer]

How do you want to.

[Sam Riegel]

Amazing. So here I grab his face, I bring him close, I stare him in the eyes and I taunt him and I shocking grasp him. I'm gonna flavor the crit in this way. I toss him, I swing him and wait for him to come back and just hold my hand out so he lands face first right on it as the electricity still erupts. And as it makes contact, it just surges through his entire body and he's just swinging limp, bursting with electricity as.

[Matthew Mercer]

You push him back. Before he comes to his coup de gras, he swings back going, no, it's so extra. And then hangs dead and limp.

[Sam Riegel]

That was my bonus action now. And now I'm going to turn towards the creature who I'm still frightened of, I think. Right. So that would grant me. I have advantage on any sorcerer's spells. I'd like to do this. So I have a feature. Let's see if this will balance things. It's called restore balance. When a creature I can see within 60ft, if that includes me, is about to roll a D20 with advantage or disadvantage, I can take a reaction to prevent the roll from being affected by the disadvantage. Can I effectively use this to cancel out the disadvantage from the fear and therefore grant myself advantage on the attack because of my sorcery spell?

[Matthew Mercer]

Meaning breaking even.

[Sam Riegel]

Breaking even to then grant myself advantage because I have innate sorcery activated and it grants me advantage on.

[Matthew Mercer]

I will say yes. Yes.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

Innate sorcery gives you advantage on all sorcerer spells.

[Sam Riegel]

It gives me advantage on all sorcery spell attacks. And an increase by one on D.C.

[Laura Bailey]

Saves for that turn.

[Sam Riegel]

For a minute.

[Laura Bailey]

For a full minute?

[Sam Riegel]

Yeah, for a full minute. Let me see if I've been cheating just for myself. Yes. Innate sorcery lasts for an entire minute. And it the spell save DC of your sorcerer spells increases by one. And I have an advantage on attack rolls of sorcerer spells that I cast. So this is witch pulled on this guy. 18 plus stuff to hit. And I will do. I think that's a D12. That's two D12.

[Laura Bailey]

It's not that broken. It's like one bonus DC.

[Sam Riegel]

10 points of lightning damage streaks across. And now we're tethered with this lightning.

[Matthew Mercer]

Cord and this reign of terror.

[Laura Bailey]

Yes.

[Sam Riegel]

And that's my turn. That's all.

[Laura Bailey]

Oh.

[Sam Riegel]

I end him.

[Matthew Mercer]

You want to do that?

[Sam Riegel]

I thought you called me a reign of terror.

[Matthew Mercer]

That's why.

[Laura Bailey]

Yes and yes.

[Sam Riegel]

This dude is still limping. So he's swinging like a pendulum. Like a pinata. That's just what it is in my mind. And I time it this witch bolt perfectly. As he swings past me, this streak of lightning dances around you. Nishkan.

[Laura Bailey]

My turn's right after you. Right?

[Sam Riegel]

I think initiative.

[Matthew Mercer]

No, I think prasine. But that was the previous fight. Sorry, everybody's dead. Zo.

[Sam Riegel]

And it just makes contact with this. Whatever his carapace is. And it's the same thing. The lightning pierces into his body and then bursts out of him. And he smells like cooked. I just want to say lobster because I don't want to say cockroach.

[Matthew Mercer]

Yeah.

[Ashley Johnson]

Lobster of the lamb. That's not that.

[Liam O'Brien]

Lobster.

[Sam Riegel]

Wait to see what it smells like. And he's just crackling with lightning energy.

[Matthew Mercer]

The center of this thing boils and bubbles. And it takes an additional 20 seconds for the legs to stop going.

[Liam O'Brien]

Where's that spray bottle?

[Matthew Mercer]

Quill slowly floats out of a bush.

[Marisha Ray]

Is it over? Are there any of them left? Daedra. Are there any Daedra besides me?

[Taliesin Jaffe]

Do you see any. Hello?

[Matthew Mercer]

Just a ghost hovering.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

You can come down, Belle. Hang out with us. We have an hour.

[Laura Bailey]

It's all right.

[Matthew Mercer]

Come on. The spirit is hovering next to Priscine, just watching dumbly as the proceedings continue. Quill does approach you, Niskan.

[Marisha Ray]

It is over. Or almost. We must return the Grimorix.

[Laura Bailey]

It isn't over. It's only just begun. Right? Is that how this works? I don't know. This is my first time doing this. Yes. Yes, of course.

[Matthew Mercer]

Give me the book. They possess the book, holding it in tendrils and float backwards, presenting it to you.

[Liam O'Brien]

Oh, I get to do this?

[Matthew Mercer]

Arcanist laying on the ground. And as all of you and your ghost gather around Niskan, Quill's tentacles all flare out in a perfect symmetry over the book. And fractal arcane patterns begin to expand around this dais. Where the grimoire has been laid, there is the etching or stone carving of an eye in that Argonian style that flares green and shines upward. And those. Those rings. This fractal pattern in front of you starts to form a path in front of you. A hallway of shifting, shimmering green rings stretching ahead, almost like a slinky stretching through reality. One layer after another. And all of you feel those rings shoot past you and the world pass you by in a blur of senses. Until you find yourself stepping into a twisted emerald landscape. The sky a pulsing deep green.

[Marisha Ray]

Before.

[Matthew Mercer]

You, Niskan and your allies. A stone stair leads up between towering, undulating columns of ancient green grimoires and texts that reach as far as the eye can see. The landscape around you seems to breathe and shift like living organisms. Like when you've had too much skooma.

[Ashley Johnson]

Seems a little familiar.

[Laura Bailey]

You've been here before, too.

[Matthew Mercer]

Individual tomes waft off of these columns in the air like bits of ash drifting into the sickly sky. Great clouds of inky shadow twist and blossom into pools above as colossal snaking tentacles slither out of them. Crawling their way down along the stairs around you. And at the zenith of this place, a single alien eye fills your view of the firmament. The base of your skull prickles at the touch of a vast, incomprehensible intelligence. Welcome, mortals. Little clusters of eyes just form, free floating in the air around this great daedric being. You have shown your worth at this moment in time, as I have foreseen. But though it was expected, it is appreciated all the same. The paths of fate grow turbulent in this age. And there are many who would encroach upon this garden of secrets for their own indulgent ends. But you have served as wardens of the natural flow of destiny. The Grimorix hovers out of your chest toward the Great eye. I shall find a place for this.

[Liam O'Brien]

Or once more.

[Matthew Mercer]

And you as well, little watchling.

[Marisha Ray]

Oh, it is good to be home again. If even for a little tiny little.

[Matthew Mercer]

Quill turns around and blinks at you.

[Marisha Ray]

Goodbye, friends. And thank you for helping me return. I will always remember you. Yesterday and tomorrow.

[Matthew Mercer]

Fate roils ever onward, immutable. A never ending river of choices that leads to its inevitable outcome. Thank you for playing your part. As you hear those words emanate within your minds, your vision of Hermaeus Mora blurs and multiplies and multiplies and multiplies, becoming a kaleidoscopic fractaling of this place. The most complex of funhouse mirrors. And you see other groups of mortals staring up in awe at the Daedric Prince. Different than your own, yet very much the same. In the past, in days to come and ever, in the precious present moment. One of many pages in the endless halls of memory. Tell me now that you have crossed into oblivion. Is there anything you seek?

[Laura Bailey]

If I might, great woodland man, keeper of secret knowledge. A few moments to interview you for my zine?

[Matthew Mercer]

I think that can be arranged. Let me give you all a little taste of forbidden knowledge as a treat. And that's where we will end our game. Oh boy. That was a lot of fun, guys. Thanks for playing with me and Tamriel. Super serious Grimdark game for you all. Hey, thanks again to our friends at Bethune, Bethesda Softworks and Zenimax Online Studios for letting us play play in the world of Elder Scrolls Online tonight. A reminder. You might not have noticed that while you may recognize some of the locations and characters explored, tonight is more inspired by elements from the ESO universe. We want to emphasize that this was not an official canon adventure from eso, but rather inspired by giving that away. Just a little treat. Thank you again to Bethesda Softworks and ZeniMax Online Studios for letting us play in your world and grab the 2025 Content Pass to start your very own ESO adventure today. Check out www.elderscrollsonline.com en us. Join us for more information.

[Sam Riegel]

Well done.

[Matthew Mercer]

This is amazing.

[Laura Bailey]

That was so fun.

[Matthew Mercer]

Thank you. Y'all.

[Liam O'Brien]

Was like, that almost got me. That's so good. That's so good.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

That was fun.

[Matthew Mercer]

That was a lot of fun. That was a lot of fun. Thank you, guys.

[Liam O'Brien]

Very fun.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

Quill was adorable.

[Liam O'Brien]

Oh, my God.

[Ashley Johnson]

I would die for plush.

[Liam O'Brien]

I was say get a plush quill at this point. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. I love Quill, but that. You got to get a plushie for Quill, like, stat.

[Matthew Mercer]

Well, that's it for Tamriel tonight, guys.

[Sam Riegel]

That's it, huh?

[Liam O'Brien]

That's it.

[Matthew Mercer]

That's it.

[Taliesin Jaffe]

Love you.

[Matthew Mercer]

Love y'all. Is it Thursday yet?

[Ashley Johnson]

Huh?

[Laura Bailey]

Thank you so much for joining us on this adventure. To help new listeners discover the show, please give us a rating and review on whatever podcasting app you're listening on. Until next time. Is it Thursday yet?